Semi Charmed Kind of Life
by KaceyO
Summary: James Sirius Potter lives up to his Marauder name at Hogwarts--follow the adventure of him, his friends and his large Gryffindor family! Starts in 5th year, Canon, Next Generation, Few OC :
1. The New Maradaurs

_After writing a James S. Potter one-shot ("Living up to the name"), the voices of the characters just wouldn't stop going off in my head! I knew I had to write a long fic. It starts in James' 5th year, mostly follows him and his friends in their "Semi Charmed Kind of Life" :) Enjoy!!! _

**Chapter 1: The New Marauders**

James Sirius Potter looked around the headmistress' office with a bored expression. This was not the first time he had been called in here to sit in the oversized leather chair and wait for his punishment, nor would it be the last. In his fifth year at Hogwarts, James had managed to average about four detentions a month for the various pranks and spells he pulled on other students. He leaned back in the chair and glanced to his side. His best friend since first year Ben Amherst grinned at him, no doubt remembering the look on Gregorio Flint's face when his teeth suddenly grew out to the ground in the middle of Potions class. Headmistress McGonagall entered the office, a stern look on her face.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Amherst, I wonder if it is possible for you to go an entire week without a visit to my office." She peered over her glasses at the two fifteen year olds who were trying, and failing, to hide their smug expressions. "What do your parents thing of the many owls I have sent home explaining your latest antics?" She looked first at Ben.

"You know my parents are Muggles Headmistress, they think that detentions in the Wizarding World are like prizes."

"They think that or you told them that, Mr. Amherst?" She asked pointedly and Ben smiled a sheepish grin. "And you Mr. Potter—out of your entire family, and let me say that is about half of the Gryffindor house, you have been in here more than all of the others combined!" James put on an innocent face and she shook her head. "I'm not going to punish you two because that obviously does not work." The boy's faces lit up and they looked at each other. "BUT I will say this—if there is one more problem before the holiday break, neither of you will be allowed to go to Hogsmeade for an entire month. Is that clear?" They nodded and left the office feeling pretty good about themselves.

"So we've gotta just lay low for a week then?" Ben asked James.

"I s'pose so." He said. "I gotta get the invisibility cloak back from Al." He had lent the cloak to his younger brother after making him promise he would finally get into some mischief with it.

"I'm curious to see what lil Alby did with the Power Of Invisibility" Ben dramatically said.

"Eh, I'm not getting my hopes up. He probably snuck off to the library to read at midnight." James ran his hand through his hair as they entered the common room. "Where d'ya reckon Emma is?" Emma Warrington was the other part of their trio. Her whole family had been sorted into Slytherin until she put the hat on in her first year, which sorted her into Gryffindor and led her to become best friends with James and Ben.

"Probably transfiguring something." Ben gruffed. Emma was extremely gifted in the subject of Transfiguration, something that Ben struggled with.

"Don't be soft Benny-boy." James teased with Ben's hated nickname. "Anyway, I'm up for some Exploding Snap—you in?"

"Definitely."

--

Emma Warrington handed the letter to the large brown owl and watched it take off into the dusk sky. She had written her parents telling them that she would not be joining them over the holiday break. This wasn't anything new--after "disgracing the family name" when she was only eleven by being sorted into Gryffindor, her relationship with her parents had become more strained than ever. From her third year on, she spent her winter break and most of her summer at the Potter household. Harry and Ginny (as they insisted to be called) always welcomed her and showered her with love and warmth, something growing up in the Warrington house had left her without.

"Emma?" Roxanne Weasley waved her hand in front of her face. "Are you listening at all?!" Emma broke out of her trance

"Sorry Rox, what were you saying again?"

"Do you think Joseph Wood fancies me?" Roxanne said, flipping her long dark hair. She was thankful that she had inherited her mother's hair, though she has been 'cursed' with her father's paler skin and freckles.

"Aren't you young for a boyfriend?" Emma grinned as they made their way out of the Owlery.

"I'm a third year, he's a fourth year, that's only a year difference." She pointed out. "I mean he is super-good-looking and sometimes when I go to watch the Quidditch practices I see him looking at me. When he's not looking for the Snitch, that is. Maybe I'll ask him who he'd going to Hogsmeade with this weekend. See if he asks me. Good idea?" Emma shook her head. She loved Roxanne and was close to her, but she was boy-crazy.

"As long as Fred doesn't get wind of it." Emma reminded her of her older brother.

"Puh-lease, that would mean he would actually have to leave his precious Muggle toys. Dad blames my granddad for his fascination with it. Sometimes I think Dad wants him to be more like James."

"Yes because being in a state of constant detention is definitely something to aspire to," Emma said, shaking her head thinking about her best friend. "Speaking of your gigantic family, how is Dominique doing working for your Aunt Hermione?"

"You know Dom, she loves Magical Law and the fact that her aunt is head of the department makes her enjoy going to work ten times more than usual." They approached the Gryffindor common room to catch the end of an intense game of exploding snap between Ben and James.

"Bloody hell!" James bellowed as the cards exploded and singed his robes. "Where've you two snuck off to?" he directed at Emma and Roxanne.

"Oh, you know we went to Honeydukes for the past hour." Emma joked.

"And you didn't bring us anything?" Ben asked in mock horror. "I'm hurt Em, you're my favorite prefect." She couldn't help but smile at him, Ben always had a way of making her laugh. "And Rox—I expected better from my future wife." Roxanne rolled her eyes while James and Emma chuckled. When Roxanne first met Ben four years ago, she was a nine year old with the biggest crush on him. Eventually she got over it, but not before James and Ben found out and proceeded to tell everyone. They liked to bring it up from time to time to annoy Roxanne and amuse themselves.

"James, James!" The heads turned at the sound of twelve year old Lily Potter running down the dormitory stairs with a letter in her hand. "Teddy asked Victorie to marry him! Dad just wrote us a letter!" She stopped, out of breath and shoved the letter in James' hand so he could read it for himself.

_Dear James, Al and Lily,_

_I know it is late in the day to be receiving post but Teddy just flooed over and told me the news—he asked Vic to marry him last night and she accepted! Their wedding is set for the late summer, we'll most likely find out more details over Christmas dinner. Can't wait to see you all soon, tell the rest of the family the news! _

_Love, _

_Dad_

"This is brilliant!" James said, pumping the air with his fist. "Now Teddy is gonna be blood related." He turned to his little sister and ruffled her hair. "Thanks for the news Lils, you get a free day of riding on my Nimbus 3000 for this one." Her eyes brightened and she hugged her brother before running off to tell Hugo the news. Emma and Ben exchanged a smile; Lily idolized her oldest brother and James doted on her every chance he got.

"What's the commotion?" Albus asked, coming through the portrait hole.

"Teddy and Vic are getting hitched," Ben informed him. Albus grinned.

"Bout time. James, I have your clo-"

"Not in here!" James hissed, glancing around the common room, full of students. "Geez Al, you think I want the whole bloody house knowing I have the thing?"

"Sorry!" Albus said, once again mentally kicking himself. He felt like he always ended up saying something idiotic when around James and his friends.

"Where's Rose?" Emma asked, directing the subject away from Albus' embarrassment. He sent her a grateful look before answering.

"Probably off with Malfoy again." Albus said in a grunt. James gave his brother a rare empathizing look. Albus and Rose were always best friends but over the past three years, Scorpius and Rose got closer, leading to an uncomfortable trio. "Don't tell Uncle Ron though, you know how he gets." Emma nodded but James and Ben gave each other a wicked smile, Christmas just got more interesting

"So what mischief did you accomplish with the you-know-what?" Ben asked, inviting Albus to sit with the boys and Emma (Roxanne had left to go find her brother and tell him of the engagement).

"Went down to the kitchen and had a midnight snack from the house elves." He answered. "I needed the boost, I was up all night doing my essay for Professor Longbottom."

"Oh Alby," James dramatically sighed. "So much to teach you about mischief…"

"Perhaps over the holiday we will let Al be in on some of our pranks?" Ben questioned his best friend. The pretended to ponder it over while Emma shook her head.

"Ginny is going to throw a fit if you corrupt her baby boy."

_Love it? Hate it? Let me know! _

_Next: Hogsmeade trip, James maps out his family tree_


	2. Oh The Tangled Web We Weave

_Thank you for the encouraging reviews! A quick note on James and his friends--as the story continues, their characters will develop. If oyu see a mix of the maradaurs in them, I did it on purpose. James is very much like his grandfather, Ben is a muggle-born but with the charm, attitude and loyalty of Sirius. Emma is the Lupin of the group with being friends with trouble makers, yet she is from a situation identical to Sirius and finds family and love in the Potters much like Harry did with the Weasleys. I just felt that I wanted to expain it so you can imagine them as vividly as the canon characters! Enjoy this chapter!!_

**Chapter 2: Oh The Tangled Web We Weave**

"Hogsmeade, hogsmeade, hoggy-hoggy-hogsmeade, entertain us please!" Ben began to sing his own redition of the school song, changing it to be about their day's activities. It was the last Hogsmeade trip before the holiday break and students were ready to do their Christmas shopping and enjoy the town.

"Are you sure I can't go?" Hugo asked his sister. "Lily and I wouldn't even make a difference, we're small!"

"I'm sorry Hugo, but you'll just have to stay around the castle." Rose told him. "You'll be able to go next year."

"If you get your permission slip signed," James cracked a grin at Hugo and Lily. "Al almost forgot his last year."

"I did not!" Albus defended. "You told me you had mine in your rucksack and then when we got all the way to King's Cross, you said you forgot it! You're lucky Dad had enough time to Apparate to get it and give it to me before the train left."

"Ah but Al, I was unlucky in the event that Mum was furious at me and threatened to break my broom in half if I did that again. Crazy ginger," James muttered.

"Hey!" Lily, Rose and Hugo said.

"Aw you know I just meant mum and her temper," James defended. "Anyway Lils, I'll get ya some candy from Honeydukes to hold you over til you're old enough." Lily's face brightened.

--

"You spoil her too much." Ben said as he, James and Emma left Hogsmeade where James had spent a galleon on sweets for his sister.

"Nah mate, my dad and I have it all figured out; if we treat Lily better than anyone else then she's never going to think that any bloke is good enough for her. Thus we won't have to hex anyone for snogging her." Emma laughed at his logic.

"James, she is going to have a boyfriend sooner or later and if you hex him it'll just make her angry. What was that about the 'ginger temper'?" James frowned as they kept walking.

"Where to next? Fancy a visit to the Shrieking Shack? Or will you cry again Emma?"

"Ha I remember that day! Our first visit to Hogsmeade!" Ben said excitedly.

"It wasn't funny!" Emma said, as the wind whipped her blonde barrel curls into her face. She tried to control them and scold the boys simultaneously. "First we sneak off to someplace totally off-limits then James tells me all these creepy stories about how spirits haunt it and then Ben jumps out and grabs me! It was a nightmare!" James and Ben howled with laughter at the memory.

"Sorry, but your face was priceless." James said.

"Whatever," Emma huffed.

"Aw c'mon Emmy." Ben said, giving her his best puppy-dog lip. "You can't be mad at the dynamic duo. It's in our nature to prank the innocent,"

"We truly cannot help ourselves." James said, putting his arm around Emma's shoulder as Ben did the same on the other side. "You know we'd be lost without you"

"By lost you mean you would have no homework to copy or someone to deflate your insane egos" Emma teased.

"See, you get it." Ben smirked and James laughed.

--

"Can this class be ANY longer?" James whispered to Emma. The Gryffindor fifth years were stuck in Monday morning History of Magic and Professor Binns was droning on about wizarding families and the inter-relations.

"I think we only have a few more minutes. Better wake Ben," She said, motioning to Ben's sleeping figure. James pointed his wand at Ben and suddenly a teacup full of cold water dumped on his face.

"OI!" He said loudly, his head shooting up. The class snickered while Professor Binns, who noticed nothing, continued to ramble. Ben whipped his head to look at James.

"You forget that I know where you sleep." He said, attempting to make it sound dark but his smile gave it away. That was the thing about Ben- as hard as he tried to be serious, he always had a mischievous glint in his eye and the corner of his lips were always turned upright.

"And your homework that I would like by next class, is to make a Wizarding family tree dating back at least three generations, including your own. Who knows, maybe some of you are related." The class wasn't sure if that last part was an attempt at humor for the ghost went back through the blackboard after giving them the assignment. James was furious.

"Mine's gonna take AGES." He groaned. "And I have Quidditch! I need to work the team so we can come back strong after the break!"

"That's payback for the water then," Ben said smugly. "All I have to do is write my name on the paper. That is my Wizarding Family Tree." Emma chuckled at James' pout.

"I'll help you James, my parents were both only children, mine will be easy."

"You're a lifesaver Em."

--

"Okay." Emily said as she looked at the long piece of parchment James had prepared for her. "Let's start with the Potter side of you." James positioned the quill to the right side of the paper.

"Well I have my granddad, James Potter." He said, writing his name down. "And he married Lily Evans." He scribbled her name next to it with a double line. "And they had my dad, Harry." He drew a vertical line from the double line and wrote his father's name."

"Easy enough. Now the Weasley side." Emma said and she heard James exhale and position his pen on the left side.

"Well there's my granddad Arthur Weasley. And he married Molly Prewett who had two twin brothers Gideon and Fabian but they died before they could reproduce, thank Merlin." James said, writing their names as Emma gave him an astonished look. "C'mon I didn't mean it like that! I just meant that then I'd have even more family to know." Emma shook her head.

"Anyway, the Weasley's had seven children," she started and James got back to his map.

"Yeah. Bill, who married Fleur Delacour and had Victorie, Dominique and Louis. And then they had Charlie, but he says he's too busy with dragons to settle down. Reckon grandmum worries. Anyway, then there was Percy who married that Audrey chick that I can't STAND-"

"She's perfectly nice!" Emma said, recalling when she met her last Christmas. "A little dry maybe,"

"She was a _Ravenclaw_." James said pointedly. "We were all worried this year when little Molly came to Hogwarts that she would be sorted there. But she's a Gryffindor. Now we just gotta wait next year for Lucy to come and be sorted and then we'll be all squared away. Anyhow, who was born next-Oh." He said quietly and he wrote Fred Weasley's name down, followed by 'died 1997'. Emma rubbed his arm.

"It's okay to miss him." She said.

"But I never even met him." James rationed.

"It's still okay." James smiled at her. Somehow, level-headed and clear-minded Emma always knew the right thing to say.

"So then there's Uncle George who married Angelina Johnson and they had Fred and Roxanne. Then Ron who married Hermione Granger and had Rose and Hugo. Then Ginny," he said, writing his mother's name and drawing the double bond that connected it to Harry's name. "And then they were blessed with have a bouncing baby boy by the name of James Sirius Potter." Emma rolled her eyes as James embellished his name on the parchment. "Then they tried to see if they could somehow once again reach perfection with procreating and found themselves with Albus and Lily." He put down his quill and looked at the parchment, frowning. "Teddy's name should be on here."

"How about you put him up with Victorie?" Emma offered, knowing how important it was to the Potters that Teddy was always considered part of the family. "Binns won't know the difference if they're engaged or married." James nodded and scribbled him in.

"Weird." He said, looking at the tree once again. "There's a bunch of kids on here named after dead people."

"Better than being named after a man like I am." Emma sighed. James looked at her.

"You're named after a man?!"

"My mum's father was Emerson Prince." She said. "My parents were planning on naming their first son Emerson but then they had my two older sisters. Then when I was a girl, they knew they didn't want any more kids so they just called me Emma. My sisters always told me it was plain compared to their names, Aphaea and Salacia." She said her older sisters' names with disgust. They had both left Hogwarts and went on to marry pureblood Slytherins like themselves.

"So you were named after a man AND a Slytherin?" James asked her, in mock-horror. "I think I'm going to need some time to process this." He started inching his chair away from her and Emma lightly shoved him.

"Better than being named after troublemakers you won't live up to." She said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Oh I'm living up to them." James said confidently, leaning back on his chair. "You should hear my mum flip out on my dad for telling me the stories of what his dad and godfather did at school. She reckons he's feeding into my wild side." Emma shook her head and poked her wand at his tilting chair, causing it to topple backwards.

_Next: Can James and Ben stay out of trouble? I think not :)_


	3. Just Can't Help Myself

**Chapter 3: Just Can't Help Myself**

James groaned at the breakfast table as he looked at the Slytherins, unable to hex any of them due to his promise to be good until break started.

"I feel like I'm in….what's that muggle thing when you can't have the drug you want?" He asked Ben who was loading up his plate with cinnamon toast.

"Withdrawal?"

"Yeah, that. It's been FIVE DAYS since we pulled a prank."

"I know mate, I reckon my wand is going to be out of practice." Ben said, looking tenderly at his wand.

"Maybe you can shape your wand by actually doing something in Transfiguration class today," Emma told him as she scanned over the Daily Prophet. James held out his hand and Emma wordlessly gave him the Quidditch section, after five years he didn't have to ask. "McGonagall won't know what got in to you." Ben gave her a look.

"I can turn a rat into a teacup just fine thank you," he said. "Now if I could only learn to transfigure Amelia Bagshot's nose into something a little less large then I may actually go to Hogsmeade with her in the spring." He looked over at the Hufflepuff table where a sixth year was sneaking glances at him. He gave her a crooked smile and she turned red and went back to gossiping with her friends. "Actually it seems she did that herself. Excellent." James grinned at his best friend and Emma tried not to laugh. Since Ben's growth spurt after third year, the female population around Hogwarts had started to fawn after him with his bright blue eyes, dark curly hair and effortless charm. James shot up not long after and, adding in the fact that he was a Quidditch star, he became the other heartthrob. Unfortunately, they both spent too much time in detention to have a proper relationship with anyone, but that didn't stop a group of giggling girls steal glances at them every chance they got.

"You've both got two more days to go without getting into trouble. I think you can handle it." Emma told them, not wanting to go to Hogsmeade by herself for the month of January.

"Well we only get in trouble…" Ben started, his eyes brightening.

"…if we get caught." James finished.

"May I see the Potter and Weasley family?" Headmistress McGonagall announced, standing up at the staff table. "And Miss Warrington as well." James and Emma looked at each other questioningly as they followed their family to the front of the Great Hall. "Are you all here?" She said, looking around at the many children standing in front of her. "Very well, as you know the holiday break begins on Friday morning for Hogwarts, yet the Ministry does not recognize this as part of their staff's paid break. I have received owls from your families this morning asking me to tell you that your grandmother will be picking all of you up at the platform and bring you to the Burrow until everyone gets off work. They all ask that you behave for her, being as she has not has this many children in her house solely under her jurisdiction in quite sometime. Is that understood?" They all nodded. "Good, you may return to your tables." They left, chatting about the many cookies Molly Weasley was sure to give them upon their arrival home.

--

"Oi! ASP!" James loudly whispered across the common room. Albus looked up from his Charms homework and at his brother in confusion. "Yeah you, come here!" He gathered his books and walked over to where James and Ben were crouched in a corner.

"What does 'ASP' mean?"

"Albus Severus Potter. Came up with it myself!" James said proudly while Albus nodded. At least he had stopped calling him 'Alby Snivellus', however that was only because their dad found out and threatened to legally change James' name to Salazar Slytherin II. It was the only time he had seen Harry worse than Ginny in his temper and the boys never asked why he got this weird look in his eye upon hearing the mocking middle name.

"Anyway, we have decided to let you play a part in our newest…adventure." Ben smiled.

"A minor part though, as you have still not proved yourself worthy." James told him. "All we ask of you is your wand." Albus' hand instinctively went to his wand in his pocket.

"Why mine? You've got your own. And if McGonagall catches you…"

"Which is precisely why we are using yours." Ben explained. "If she uses _Prior Incantato _on our wands, it'll only show how diligent I am in doing my Transfiguration homework."

"I dunno…" Albus said uneasily. "What if she checks my wand?"

"Well you're fourteen and due for a detention." James said shrugging.

"What are you doing?" Albus asked. "Not something hurtful?" James and Ben looked at him in disbelief.

"When have we ever done something like that?" Ben asked him. Albus gave them a look.

"Growing Flint's toenails so they broke out of his shoes, making him believe he was in love with Mrs. Norris, turning the entire Hufflepuff Quidditch team's eyebrows gold…"

"Ah, merely temporary things to relieve students of a boring existence." James said matter-of-factly. "Trust me, you'll like this one we've got planned." Albus thought for a minute.

"I'll lend you my wand if you lend me yours. Then I'll be sure to get mine back." He said. Ben raised his eyebrows.

"A fair negotiation I believe." James nodded and he and his brother swapped their wands. Albus went back to do his work and James turned to Ben.

"I have to say I'm impressed, the little bugger is starting to speak his mind."

"Maybe it's our golden influence on him."

--

The school was buzzing the next day. Not only was it the last day of classes before the break, but Scorpius Malfoy had left the Great Hall at breakfast looking quite different than when he entered. Sometime between eating his porridge and pouring another glass of milk, his robes had been turned pink, his bleach blonde hair put into pigtails and across his forehead, the words "Holyhead Harpies Biggest Fan" glittered. The Great Hall erupted in laughter and the headmistress' face immediately looked at the two Gryffindors who were looking much too innocent. She summoned their wands but found that their last charms were for the homework for her own class. Suspicious but unable to punish them, she returned their wands and restored Malfoy's appearance back to normal.

--

James stood up as the train pulled into King's Cross Station and collected his things.

"So you'll be over the day after Christmas, right?" Emma asked Ben. "And then stay with us until we head back?"

"Yes mam," Ben said. "Can you take being away from me for four days?" he asked cupping her face in his hands.

"I think I'll manage," she said, rolling her eyes and grabbing her trunk. They three left their compartment and stepped on the busy platform. Ben spotted his parents, who still looked slightly uncomfortable being surrounded by Wizards and bid James and Emma goodbye before going off.

"Oh there's James and Emma!" James heard his grandmother call, beckoning him over to where Albus, Lily and Hugo already stood. They walked over to her and she grabbed James' face giving him a kiss on both cheeks. "Now Jamesie are you behaving yourself?"

"Bout as much as Uncle George did." He said with a grin, causing his grandmother to give him a stern look. Even in her seventies, Molly Weasley made the rules. She turned to Emma.

"Oh Emma dear!" She pulled her into a hug. "You look even more beautiful than you did this summer, you are growing up so fast! Oh here comes Fred and Louis, where in the world are Rose and little Molly, oh there they are." She said as the two girls hustled over. "Now there are nine, we need one more-ah Roxanne there she is, is that Joseph Wood?" The entire family looked over at Roxanne giving Joseph a kiss on the cheek as she left him.

"Woah he's the Gryffindor seeker!" Hugo said in amazement. Hugo was obsessed with knowing everything about Quidditch and would constantly ask James about their game plan and how the team was doing and offer his own advice on their strengths and weaknesses. James offered him a tryout for the open Beater position at the beginning of the year, but Hugo said he liked to remain on the sidelines instead and would much rather be able to see the whole match unfold.

"Oi! Roxy!" James called to his cousin and she whipped her head around in anger and Emma scolded him.

"James, she was having a moment!"

"Yeah well I want some cookies." He reasoned.

--

After an afternoon at the burrow where, miraculously, nothing was broken beyond repair, Emma helped Ginny prepare dinner.

"So tell me all about school Emma, the only thing I get from James is detention stories." Ginny shook her head. She loved all of her children the same, but James tested her patience.

"Well, Roxanne fancies the Gryffindor seeker Joseph Wood and they actually were having a moment at the platform today before James decides to yell and ruin it."

"He could have had any one of Ron's traits and he gets his knack for terrible timing." Ginny thought back to a summer afternoon so long ago, but it felt like only the other day, where she and Harry had been having a particular romantic moment. "One day James will finally get a girl and the tables will be turned. Are there any lookers for you?" Emma shrugged.

"I don't know, I mean I think Ryan Davies is kind of cute." She thought of the fifth year Hufflepuff that she was partnered with in potions.

"I remember his father Roger," Ginny thought back. "He was very handsome, he actually took Fleur to the Yule Ball."

"Really?" Emma asked, she had never heard of this story. "Who did you go with?"

"Neville Longbottom," Ginny laughed. "Harry asked me after but I had to turn him down, which of course I stayed up all night wondering why he could not have just asked me first."

"Well it took him six years to finally kiss you." Emma smiled.

"I was waiting for the right moment." Harry said as he flooed into the kitchen from work. He gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek and Emma a big hug.

"Yes, and the right moment happened to be in the middle of the crowded Gryffindor common room." Ginny teased. "I thought that cow Romilda Vane was going to punch me."

"Romilda Vane like the gossip column writer for the Prophet?" Emma asked.

"The one and only." Ginny said. "Even after twenty years, she still asks me how Harry and I are doing when I go in to write the Quidditch report. I bet my bottom galleon that she would leap for joy if I hinted at a marriage problem." Harry shook his head.

"Anyway, how did your term go Emma? Still kicking Ben's rear in Transfiguration?"

"You bet." Emma said smiling. "I heard McGonagall is actually thinking of hiring another professor to teach though. She said something about having enough duties as headmistress."

"James and Ben still keeping her busy then?" Harry asked and Ginny watched his expression which tended to look more proud than mad upon hearing about his son's antics.

"Would you believe me if I said otherwise?" Emma laughed. "They're good boys, I just think they get…restless."

"Yeah dad, you didn't save any mysteries for us to solve." James joked, coming into the kitchen. Harry gave him a hug and shook his head before going in the next room to say hi to Albus and Lily.

"How about you find out who your Aunt Hermione took to the Yule Ball?" Ginny said to James. "Hugo will have a fit when he finds out."

_Leave me some love :)_

_NEXT: Christmas dinner at the Weasley house....need i say more?_


	4. A Very Weasley Chirstmas

_Thank you so much for the encouraging reviews, you guys are the best ever :) _

**Chapter 4: A Very Weasley Christmas**

Molly Weasley looked around the table with a fond look in her eyes. To her right was her only daughter , her baby. Though she had babies of her own now—seated next to her was Lily, Albus, James and Emma, who had been part of the Potters for some time now. Harry sat on the other side of his children. She could not have asked for a better son-in-law. Next to Harry sat George who was shaking his head as his father and son discussed their obsession of the new muggle innovation---the iPod. Across the table was Angelina, Roxanne, Rose then Hermioine, all chatting about how they couldn't wait to see Victorie and discuss the wedding. Bill and Fleur and their family were spending Christmas dinner with Fleur's parents so they could meet Teddy. Percy and Audrey had been over with the girls the previous night, but were having a quiet family dinner at their own flat in London. Ron and Hugo sat on the other side of Hermione, bringing the table back to Molly. Molly's eyes met Arthur's who cleared his throat.

"I'd like to make a toast," he said, raising his goblet. The family followed suit and listened intently. "To another year together as a family. I am blessed that we can all be here tonight to celebrate the holiday. I toast you all, and Bill, Percy, their families, Charlie, and" His expression became slightly less jolly and Molly's eyes felt suddenly full of water. "And of course to Fred. Who, if he were able to be here, would probably have put puking pastels in our treacle tarts." Everyone laughed at the truth of that statement and Molly spoke up.

"To family. Both here in body and in spirit." She said and they all toasted their glasses and drank their drinks. Molly waved her wand and the food hovered in from the kitchen and onto the plates. For a few minutes the only sound was the scrapping of forks on to plates and food being chewed until Hugo spoke up, remembering something his cousins had told him to ask about earlier.

"Mum, who did you go to the Yule Ball with?" Hermione dropped her fork and Ron nearly choked on his potatoes.

"Um…why do you want to know dear?"

"James said Aunt Ginny told him to ask me to ask you." He said simply. Hermione and Ron shot Ginny, who was staring intently at her pea soup, looks. "So who'd you take?"

"I took Viktor Krum actually," She said, her cheeks growing pink.

"NO WAY!" The majority of the kids yelled.

"MUM!" Hugo's eyes dancing with excitement. "You dated a world famous international Quidditch player!"

"And he was so handsome!" Roxanne added.

"He was the youngest seeker Bulgaira had ever seen." Hugo said. "He actually caught the Snitch in the World Cup game of '94, but the Irish still won."

"I know, I was there" Ron told his son, attempting to show that he was pretty impressive as well. "So was your mum, granddad, some uncles and Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry."

"Really?!" James asked his dad. "You never told me that story!"

"You always wanted to hear more about the trouble he got up to in school," Ginny smiled at her son.

"Plus, going to the World Cup never got your dad on a Chocolate Frog Card." George grinned. "It was all that heroic and brave bit that made 'the golden trio' a collectable item." Hermione and Harry grimaced at the name the media had given them and Ron after the defeat of the Lord Voldemort, but Ron looked rather pleased. He considered being on a Chocolate Frog card one of his best accomplishments.

"Yeah, Krum hasn't got a card." Ron said smugly and Hermione shook her head.

--

It was dessert time and the table was broken up into several different discussions.

"I keep telling you dear, the team could use you." Molly said to her daughter when the subject of the Holyhead Harpies was brought up at their end of the table.

"Mum, I'm far too old to be playing Quidditch professionally." Ginny told her. "Besides, I like working at the _Prophet. _It is a shame about their last game though_."_

"Bet Malfoy isn't too happy about their season so far," James said to Emma who rolled her eyes.

"I knew it was you!" Rose, who had been oddly silent during the meal, screeched from across the table, giving James a vivid look. "You and Ben are the biggest prats at Hogwarts."

"Rose!" Hermione scolded, but it was no match for her daughter's fury.

"No! I won't let this go on anymore! He never did anything to you and you pull some stupid, embarrassing prank on him because you think it is funny and-" Her voice rose and the table got quiet and watched her shout at James. "Because you have some stupid hatred towards him because of his family. No Malfoy ever affected you! And you shouldn't judge Scorpius based on his relatives. If someone judged me based on you they'd probably think I was some arrogant prankster who slides by on his Quidditch talent!"

"Rose Weasley-"Hermione said more sternly.

"You don't even know him!" Rose yelled at James.

"And how would he get to do that?" Albus suddenly and surprisingly defended his brother. "You never bring him around Rose! You're always sneaking off to meet him, how are we supposed to know anything about this kid other than he takes you away from your family! You don't even know what goes on with us anymore. Especially not me." Rose (along with the majority of the family) looked shocked at Albus' outburst at her. They all sat in silence. Harry had an odd sense of déjà vu from seeing the fiery redhead flip out on the glasses-wearing, messy-haired Quidditch Captain for being arrogant and hexing innocent people. He struggled to wrap his head around how to handle this one. Ginny cleared her throat.

"James and Albus, your father and I would like to talk to you in the sitting room. Now." The four Potters got up and walked out of the kitchen mumbling 'excuse us' to Molly and Arthur.

"And Rose, how about we take a walk?" Hermione looked at her daughter who silently nodded and followed her out of the house.

"She's gone mental." Hugo said softly when they exited the room.

"She's a teenage girl," Angelina offered but Ron shook his head.

"She's just exactly like her mother sometimes. Hermione used to get the same way sticking up for house elves."

--

James and Albus sat side-by-side on the couch and looked at Ginny and Harry who each took a chair across from them.

"Boys, you cannot just have a shouting match in the middle of Christmas dinner." Ginny started.

"I didn't say a word!" James defended. "She blew up at me for no bloody reason!"

"If she did whatever you did to Scorpius to Ben, wouldn't you have reacted in a similar way?" Harry asked.

"It's different-"

"The bond between best friends is the same in every pair." Harry told him. "Whether they are family, Gryffindors, Slytherins—it's not any different. And as for judging Scorpius because of his house, that is not fair. Emma's whole family was in Slytherin, yet she proved to be different. Give him the same chance." James nodded glumly.

"And as for your antics James," Ginny started. "You know your father and I think that if you pull the prank at school, the school should punish you and if you pull it at home, I will punish you. But doing something that hurts a member of this family accidentally or on purpose is unacceptable anywhere. Do you understand?"

"Yes. And I'm sorry I hurt Roise. I swear I didn't mean to, I just thought it was funny."

"Well sometimes you gotta think a little harder son," Harry said. James gave him a nod and Ginny sent him out to the kitchen.

"Hey Al?" James turned around as he was about to go out the door. "Thanks for defending me."

"You're my brother." Albus said simply.

"Yeah," James said. "I'm glad you're mine."

--

Meanwhile in the snowy garden, Hermione held Rose while she cried.

"I know I shouldn't have said those things to James, even though they're true, I just got so mad because no one understands Mum! And now Al is furious with me and I don't even know why which is the worst part because he's right, I have ditched him and I just don't know how to balance it all!" Hermione stroked her hair.

"I know honey and I'm sorry you feel so torn. But this is all fixable." Her daughter looked up at her, her eye color mirroring her mothers and even had some of her mom's curl in her hair. "You need to talk to Albus and then everything else will start to fall back into place." She nodded. "But you also need to apologize to James. Although he may be a popular athlete who has a knack for trouble, he is also your cousin who looked out for you your first year and made sure you had a smooth adjustment." Rose nodded.

"I guess I should apologize to grandmum and granddad too for causing commotion at dinner." Hermione smiled.

"See? You already know how to patch things up."

_NEXT:: Kreacher! hahaa i love him and had to write him in_


	5. The Legacy Lives On

_Here's a longer chapter for the best readers ever!! :)_

**Chapter 5: The Legacy Lives On**

The next morning Ben arrived and James caught him up on the previous night's events.

"…And then Rose apologized to me and I told her it was fine. So I guess we gotta lay off Malfoy for a bit."

"You two are like old gossiping witches," Emma told them, looking up from the parchment she was scribbling on. "If you spend more than an hour apart you have to catch each other up on every detail of what you did when you weren't together."

"Says the girl who writes three letters a week to me over the summer," Ben challenged. "I know you want me Em." He gave her his most obnoxious smile. "You're probably writing me a love letter right now." He motioned to her parchment.

"Actually, it's a shopping list." She told him, waving it. "Dominque, Roxanne, Rose and I are going out today."

"You just got presents yesterday morning, what could you possibly need?" James asked incredulously.

"Well if you really must know I need new shoes, a new scarf and I need to start looking at dresses for the wedding."

"Teddy and Vic's?" Ben scrunched his forehead in confusion. "But that's not til August!"

"It doesn't hurt to start looking now," She went back to making her list.

"I don't reckon I'll ever understand girls." James said, shaking his head. Harry walked into the room.

"What are you all up to today?" Emma told him of her plans and James and Ben simply shrugged. "Well I'm going over to Grimmuald Place to check on the house and Kreacher—are you two up for joining me?" He didn't know why he bothered asking—Grimmuald Place always fascinated James and Ben had never been there, but was no doubt curious.

"Yeah!" They said in unison.

"Good. Go get your cloaks and say goodbye to mum and we'll be on our way." James and Ben left the room practically running.

"Kreacher still wants to stay there?" Emma asked Harry who nodded.

"Every year since we moved out of there I ask Kreacher if he wants to come here but every year he wishes to stay in that old empty house." Harry still had trouble thinking of Grimmuald Place as _his_ house and he had only lived there until he and Ginny were married and bought the farmhouse on the countryside that they still lived in.

--

"Woah, this is even cooler than you described," Ben marveled as he and James landed in the sitting room, Harry following close behind them.

"I know, it's so old and creepy but totally awesome." James said and they went into the kitchen where Kreacher was scrubbing the table.

"Ah, Master Harry and his son Master James Sirius, named in part for the heir of the noble House of Black." Kreacher said, giving the Potter men a bow. James stifled a snort. After fifteen years he still couldn't get over the way Kreacher talked.

"Yeah Kreacher, this is my friend Ben Amherst." Kreacher made a slightly less deep bow to Ben.

"Would the Masters like anything to eat? Kreacher can make some Sheppard's Pie. Or perhaps pudding for the younger ones?"

"I think we'd all like some pudding, thanks." Harry said, earning looks of wonder from Ben and James. "What?"

"Nothing, you just looked young when you said that." James answered.

"Are you saying I'm old?" Harry cracked a grin. "Don't let your Aunt Hermione hear that, she'll have another meltdown. It's not my fault she turns forty before I do."

"Wait, how old were you when you had me?" James asked as they walked out of the kitchen to look around upstairs.

"Well what is thirty nine minus fifteen?" Harry teased him. "I was twenty four. I married your mum right before I turned twenty one."

"That's like five years older than we are now," Ben said in disbelief. "I can't imagine getting tied down to one bird right now."

"That's assuming someone wants to marry you," James joked and Ben chased him up the second staircase while Harry watched in amusement. He wondered if his father and godfather had a similar discussion over one of their many shared holidays. _Though_, Harry thought, _from what everyone says Dad probably would have married Mum at fifteen. If he could go five minutes without making her throw a fit_. Even though Harry never got to really know his father, from the stories and pictures and (though he never told anyone) from what he had seen in the pensive, Harry felt that his son was a lot like his namesake, in looks and personality alike. Perhaps this was why Harry had such a hard time punishing him--in truth, every prank and hex James and Ben pulled reminded him so much of what James and Sirius did that he could not scold them. Ginny often made up for it though, her mother's temper coming out in full blast.

"DAD!" He heard a voice from far upstairs. "THERE'S MUGGLE GIRLS IN BIKINIS!" Harry started up the stairs, now remembering why he and Ginny had forbid the children to enter Sirius' old bedroom.

--

"Oh good, you're home, Emma has just arrived as well," Ginny said as Harry, James and Ben walked through the front door. After looking around the house and eating Kreacher's pudding, they had visited Ron and George in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and had lost track of time. "Oh no, you didn't, Harry." Ginny said upon seeing the bags that Ben and James held.

"Just a few things we forgot to get them for the holiday," Harry said, giving Ginny a kiss before she could protest.

"So how is Grimmuald Place doing?" Emma asked as they all sat down to dinner.

"The same," Harry answered.

"Kreacher sends his kisses," James wickedly grinned at Albus.

"Aw shut up James," he said, growing red.

"Al used to be terrified of Kreacher," James explained to Ben and Emma. "Cried at the sight of him til…last year wasn't it?"

"I was six the last time I saw him." Albus told him. "He's just…creepy."

"Don't let Aunt Hermione hear you say that." Lily told him, playing with her new Pigmy Puff that her parents had gotten her for Christmas.

"Lily Luna, pets are not allowed at the table." Ginny reminded her and Lily sighed.

"Well since she's already here…" Lily tried to reason, tickling her pink pet.

"Have you named her yet?" Ben asked. Lily nodded.

"I named her Ron." She said grinning, causing the family to explode in laughter.

--

"Yes I know Albus, I can see what time it is." Ginny said frazzled as she grabbed the freshly done laundry and tried to sort it. As usual, the Potters were running late to get to King's Cross Station. She threw a pile of socks and undershirts at Albus. "Can you just pack these all and sort them with James when you get to school?" She asked and he nodded, knowing it was probably best to keep out of his mum's way.

"MUM!" Lily yelled from upstairs. "I CAN'T FIND RON!"

"I'll go help her," Emma said, slipping out of the sitting room and going upstairs.

"Thanks, can you grab the boys while you're at it, I have no idea where they are-"

"Sure." Emma said. She went upstairs to the room she shared with Lily during breaks. "Where'd you last have him--er, um her?"

"I don't know!" Lily said, searching through her sheets. "She was in her cage this morning and then I had her at breakfast and then I packed my trunk, OH NO!" She ran across the room and threw open her trunk to reveal the pygmy puff on top of her folded clothes. Emma shook her head and went to James' room and knocked on the door. He and Ben opened it with guilty expressions on their faces.

"What did you two do?" Emma sighed. Ginny was in enough of a fit without adding the dynamic duo and their endless mischief.

"Nothing." They both replied at once.

"Well Ginny wants you downstairs, we should have left twenty minutes ago." The boys grabbed their trunks and followed her downstairs without another word. Emma wondered what they were up to but figured she would find out soon enough.

--

"Alright, what did you do?" Emma asked as she closed the compartment door on the train. James and Ben looked at each other and Ben nodded for James to go first.

"Let's say your parents had a book of charms that they had for a long time and was sort of…passed through the family. Now this book could be really helpful but your parent's didn't want you to have it because some of the….erm…information could be used to um…"

"Be at a disadvantage to other students." Ben supplied. Emma's eyes narrowed as she looked between them.

"What did you nick from your parents?" James pulled out a piece of parchment and pointed his wand at it."

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he said and the parchment suddenly started unfolding to reveal a detailed map of Hogwarts, including positions of everyone in the castle and secret passageways.

"B-B-But that's," Emma stuttered looking back and forth between them. "That's The Marauder's Map! James, that's your _dad's_!" Harry had never showed the map to any of them but had described it to them when telling the children about his years in school.

"Yeah." James looked at it with admiration. "But he's not at Hogwarts anymore, is he? So he really doesn't need it." He said the last part rushed, as if justifying the fact that he clearly stole it from his father's personal things.

"How did you get it?" Emma asked, sitting down.

"Well see James and I went to grab a piece of parchment to make a list of who we want to hex this term," Ben began, earning an eye roll from Emma. "We went into Harry's office and grabbed what we thought was some from the drawer."

"But then I wrote 'James Sirius Potter' on the top," James continued. "And it was like 'Messers Prongs and Padfoot are delighted to see their names living on in the Potter family' and I was like 'Blimey I know what this is!' I mean if my dad didn't want me to have it, he wouldn't have told me how to use it all those years ago."

"Wow…" Emma said, still staring at the map. "You boys are going to wreak havoc on the school with this thing, aren't you?"

"Would you expect anything less from your bestest friends?" Ben asked smirking.

"I s'pose not. But if Harry asks me where it is, I'm not going to lie to him." She said, taking a firm tone that she hardly ever used with them. It wasn't that Emma approved of their pranks, but she saw no reason to try to stop them. Lying, however, was one thing she despised.

"Course, Em." James said understandingly, looking into her brown eyes. "We'd never ask you to do that."

"Good." She said smiling. "Alright then, let's see if Filch and Madam Pince are together."


	6. Mischief Managed

_So I went on a writing rampage the other day and have up to chapter 11 completed! WOO! But first, he're chapter six. I think it sets the stage for a lot of what is to come_

**Chapter 6: Mischief Managed**

Classes resumed and the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs found themselves in Potions with Professor Boot.

"Alright now, we will try to ease you back into the school mode by doing some review! Think back to your second year… I want you to work with your partners on making a Sleeping Draught. As always, please divide the work equally!" He said before settling down to his desk. Emma opened her book to the instructions on making a Sleeping Draught and looked over at her partner Ryan Davies who had forgotten his book and was looking sheepish.

"We can share." Emma said with a smile, which he returned. The collected their ingredients and began to get to work.

"So how was your holiday?" Ryan asked as he stirred the cauldron.

"It was good," Emma replied. "Yours?"

"Good." He answered. "My dad and I played Quidditch a lot, he's actually going to come to the match against Slytheirn next week." Ryan looked at her sideways. "Will you be there?" Emma looked at him with interest. _Was he asking me if I was going to be there to see him?_ She wondered. She usually didn't go to matches unless Gryffindor was playing, but for Ryan she would probably make an exception.

"Sure!" She answered and he smiled."But I'm cheering for Slytherin of course," She said slyly and he laughed.

Across the room James nudged Ben who was putting the last few ingredients into the potion.

"What d'ya reckon they're laughing about?" he asked, motioning to Emma and Ryan. Ben looked.

"Who cares?" Ben said bored.

"It's just weird." James said, a slight unsettling feeling in his stomach. Why did she flip her hair like that? It was the kind of thing he saw Roxanne do when she came to watch their Quidditch practice.

"Whatever mate," Ben said. "Are we sneaking to Hogsmeade tonight?" They had studied the map the previous night and had both agreed on going on an adventure.

"Yeah, definitely. " James said, still a bit distracted.

--

Ben and James walked through the passageway still under the invisibility cloak.

"I think we're almost here," Ben said, looking at the map. James shined his wand ahead and saw in the darkness the outline of a staircase.

"Excellent." They climbed through the trap door and found themselves in the cellar of Honeydukes. "Should we take something?"

"Take like steal or take like we promise to leave money on the counter next time we come in?" Ben asked, eyeing the Fizzing Whizbees carton to the left of him.

"The latter for sure," James said. "We'll be back here soon enough." The boys each picked out a small sample of their favorite candy. James took a sugar quill, knowing they were Emma's favorite. They left and headed back into the castle, this time not using the cloak until they got to the statue of the witch. It was well past midnight when they returned to the Gryffindor Common room, but the trip was worth the homework they would have to complete the next day.

"We have got to do this more often." Ben said, emptying some Fizzing Whizbees in his mouth. James laughed when Ben levitated off the ground a few feet as he sucked on the candy. "After these, I'm never going to be able to eat regular Pop Rocks again."

"Pop what?"

"These muggle candy things you put in your mouth and they make little popping noises as you eat them." James looked amused at the thought.

"Weird. But yeah, let's make this a weekly thing." James pointed his wand to the map. "Mischief managed."

--

"Good morning," James said to Emma from a seat in the common room as she walked down from the girl's dormitory.

"You're up early," She answered. Usually she was up at seven, James at seven-thirty and then Ben always running down close to eight, when breakfast started. He shrugged.

"Needed to finish my Herbology essay." He motioned to the parchment. She nodded and sat down next to him, taking out her Transfiguration notes to read over. She felt James' eyes on her.

"What?" She asked, looking up to find his hazel eyes sparkling with the look that could only mean one thing—he and Ben had done something they weren't supposed to.

"Fancy a sugar quill?" he asked innocently.

"I know you ate all of yours from Christmas," she told him.

"That's correct." He said, still looking innocent but starting to smile. "But you didn't answer my question." Emma looked puzzled but shrugged.

"I would love a sugar quill, you know that." James reached behind him and pulled out a sugar quill, handing it to her.

"Turns out one of the passageways leads into the Honeydukes cellar." She grinned and took the wrapper off of the quill.

"You know as a prefect I really should report or punish you two for this," she said, licking the quill.

"That's why I brought you back a treat." James answered.

"So what did Ben get me?"

"Benny-boy is just not as thoughtful as I am." James shook his head mock-gravely. "He thinks that our friendship should be enough to stop you from squealing to Longbottom." Professor Longbottom was head of the Gryffindor house and Emma was supposed to report rule-breaking students to him. "I on the other hand, knew that a sugar quill is the sure way to a witch's heart."

"Well aren't you just a modern day Romeo?" Emma giggled. James sat back in his chair.

"You know it."

--

"I heard we get career advice from the heads of our houses next week." Isolde, a fellow Gryffindor fifth year informed Emma, Ben and James the next morning as breakfast. "So we know what subjects to take next year. As long as we get the right amount of owls." She added, looking slightly panicked.

"We've got ages to think about what we want to do though," Ben groaned. "Why are they asking us now?"

"Ben, we've only got two and a half more years left." Emma told him. "We have to start thinking about life after Hogwarts."

"I'd rather think about the upcoming match with Ravenclaw." James said, glancing at the Ravenclaw table. "I swear if Wood doesn't get his head into the game I'm going to ban Roxanne from coming to practices."

"She's distracting him then?" Emma asked chuckling.

"She makes these googly-eyes at him," Ben, who played Chaser for the team, demonstrated. "It'd be cute if it wasn't messing up his Seeker skills."

"It still wouldn't be cute, she looks half deranged." James said.

"Just because you're jealous that more witches give me googly-eyes than you," Ben jokingly taunted.

"Oh yes, that piece of knowledge keeps me up at night," James said in a monotone voice. He glanced at the floating clock in the front of the Great Hall. "We better get to class."

"Ah yes, Muggle Studies awaits." Ben grinned.

"I still can't believe you take that class," Emma shook her head. "You're muggle-born!"

"Precisely." Ben said as she and James prepared to go to Ancient Runes. "I'm top of the class!"

--

"James, you're my best mate but that was ridiculous." Ben said as he and James changed out of their practice robes and into their school robes. Although there was a blizzard going on outside, James insisted on having Quidditch practice. After an hour though, he called it off because no one was functioning in the weather. "I reckon my ass will never warm up."

"Serves you right for contemplating hitting that bludger at me." James said with a smirk. "But you're right—that was not really productive." They gathered their things and made their way up the snow-covered path back to the common room. The team was all huddling around the fire trying to warm up.

"James?" Rose asked him. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" He walked over to the chair she was curled up in.

"Sup Rosie?"

"Well, I just wanted to say sorry again for Christmas. And I am going to try to bring Scorp around more often so you guys get to know him." James held his tongue and did not remark on the shortening of the name.

"That's a good plan. And don't worry bout dinner, it's long forgotten." She smiled and he ruffled her hair.

_Next:: Career advice. Leave me some reviews and it'll be up faster :) :)_


	7. When I Grow Up

_Okay so this chapter I wrote while in the midst of re-reading Order of the Pheniox (I've gotta remmeber what they did back in fifth year!) and I think some of the angry-Harry (or as I like to call it emo-Harry) stuck with me. I figure his son, though to a lesser extent, would go through similar emotions. Anyway, enjoy and review--reading them makes my day!!!_

**Chapter 7: When I Grow Up**

"So what do you want to do after Hogwarts?" Neville Longbottom asked as Emma sat in his office.

"I'd really like to be a Healer." Emma answered earnestly. "I've already talked to Louis Weasley too about the N.E.W.T. classes and he told me I can handle it." Neville looked impressed.

"Well I can see you've thought this out," He said, looking at his clipboard. "You will need at least an Exceeds Expectations in Herbology, which no doubt you can do," he added and she grinned. "Charms, Potions, Defense Against Dark Arts and Transfiguration, again I have no qualms about that happening." Emma looked grateful. "Can I just ask why you want to be a Healer?" Emma looked thoughtful for a minute before answering.

"I'd like to help people," she said. "And I've been patching up James and Ben's wounds when they're too afraid to visit Madame Pompfrey, because they're afraid she'll tell on them, since our second year. I just feel that I would be a good one."

"Well I feel the same way," Neville assured her.

--

"Ah, Ben" Neville said as Ben entered. "And do you know what Wizarding occupation you would like to pursue?" Ben sat down on the seat.

"Um. I dunno." He answered. Truthfully he had never thought of his life after Hogwarts.

"That's okay," Neville said. "I'm here to help you—now what are your skills and what classes do you excel in?" he asked, flipping through his pile of parchment.

"Uh, I'm pretty good at Charms." Ben said thoughtfully. "And Muggle Studies."

"Ah yes," Neville started to smile as he pulled out a pamphlet. "How about a career as an Obliviator?"

"A what?"

"Someone who works for the Ministry and performs memory charms on muggles who have seen magic or anything magic-related. Basically you clean up after the other wizards cause trouble," Neville said pointedly.

"So I would be on the other side?" Ben smiled knowingly. "Like other people would get in trouble and I would get paid?"

"Yes," Neville answered and Ben looked elated.

"That's a great job!" Neville smiled.

"Now you'll need an Outstanding in Charms for this, along with at least an Exceeds Expectations in Muggle Studies."

"Anything else?" Ben asked, still excited that he had a path.

"Well it is recommended that you also receive at least an E in Transfiguration." Ben's face fell. "I'm sure Emma would be more than happy to help you." Neville added and Ben heaved a sigh.

"I know. I just hate asking her for help." Truth be told, Ben hated asking anyone for help.

"Well I can assure you that she would be a good teacher."

--

"Hi James," Neville said warmly as James entered his office.

"Hi Professor Longbottom—um Neville?" James asked unsure. He was to call him 'Professor Longbottom' during class but at outside school he called him Neville. The one-on-one meetings was where it got tricky—usually Neville was giving him a detention for various misdemeanors and he couldn't really use his first name then.

"Neville is fine," he answered, motioning for James to take a seat. "So James, what would you like to do after Hogwarts?"

"Play Keeper for Puddlemere United." He answered effortlessly. Neville nodded, as if encouraging him to go on. "That's what I want to do."

"Yes, but what about after Quidditch? You mum is a prime example James, you can't play Quidditch forever."

"Yeah but she only stopped because she had me." James said. "I don't quite have to worry about becoming pregnant," he said with a smirk.

"Yes, but how many Quidditch players do you know past the age of thirty five?" Neville looked at James, whose eyes showed a glint of worry for a minute.

"I guess I'll just work at the shop with Uncle George and Uncle Ron then." James shrugged. "They'll need someone else by then."

"Or you could open up your own shop," Neville added, trying to make James be motivated. James gave a quick jerk of the head.

"I guess." Neville took a deep breath.

"James, you are a bright student, you could even become an Auror-"

"I don't want to do that." James said abruptly.

"Very well," Neville started. "I'd encourage you to talk to your family—between them they've covered half the occupations in the Ministry. Also, here are some pamphlets on careers," he handed James some parchment. "And finally I'd recommend shooting for at least an Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration and Charms and at least an Acceptable in Potions, Defense Against Dark Arts and History of Magic." James nodded silently. "Is everything okay James?"

"Yeah, eveything's fine." He said, standing up. "Er—thanks." He left the room and headed back to the Gryffindor common room in an unsettling mood.

--

"How'd your meeting go?" Emma asked as James entered the portrait hole and walked over to where she and Ben were sitting by the fire. She was helping Ben with his essay of Transfiguration.

"Fine." James said curtly and threw himself on the couch. Ben and Emma exchanged a hesitant look. "I said it went fine!" he repeated upon seeing the exchange.

"You don't have to shout." Emma said, looking at him in the eye. She and James rarely quarreled but she didn't want him to think he could speak to her like that.

"Sorry." He replied, not sounding the least bit sorry at all. He glared at the fire. Emma took a deep breath and turned back to Ben's essay.

--

Over the next few days James' mood was not to be tested. One minute he'd be fine joking with Ben and planning their next escape out of the castle, but whenever the conversation veered towards O.W.L.S, careers or life after Hogwarts, he turned surly. Ben and Emma didn't bring up the subjects, figuring that in due time they'd learn what was bothering him.

"Oh look, Achilles is here," Emma noted as the Potter family owl swooped down and landed in front of James at breakfast. James untied the letter from his leg and offered him a bit of his muffin before he was off again. He opened the letter and read his mothers neat script.

_James,_

_Neville wrote to us about his Career Advice meeting with you. I know coming from me this sounds hypocritical, but you really must think about your life after Hogwarts and should plan for something more than Quidditch. No doubt you are a talented Keeper (though your Uncle Ron takes credit, I know it's your father and I's skills) but there will come a time when you need to do something else. If you want to work to the shop with your Uncles I know they would be more than pleased but make sure it is because it is what __you__ want to do. Do not settle for something and do not conform to what everyone simply expects you to do. I am always here for you, your father too._

_Love, _

_Mum_

James folded the letter and tucked it in his pocket. He felt anger rippling though his body. Why was everyone expecting him to just make a decision? And when they did hear of what he wanted to do, they wanted him to do something more? He wasn't going to be a hero like his father. There was no wizarding war to define him and his abilities and he wondered if he would have fought if there was. He supposed he would have being _Harry Potter's Son_ and named after two of the bravest members of the Order of the Phoenix. But did that mean he would want to?

"What was the letter about?" Ben asked, breaking James out of his trance.

"Nothing." He responded, buttering his piece of toast with such fury that the knife cut through the toast and sliced his arm. He swore.

"Let me see," Emma took his bleeding hand and pointed her wand at it. "_Episkey_" The cut suddenly healed.

"Thanks," James said when she gave him his hand back.

"You're welcome." She replied, still looking at him curiously. He dropped his gaze to his food, knowing that if he looked in her eyes he would surely feel guilty for his behavior. "What time is the Quidditch match tomorrow?" At this, though he looked up.

"We don't have one." He answered.

"I know." She said. "I meant the Hufflepuff-Slytherin one." Ben and James looked at her, puzzled.

"Since when do you go to other matches?" Ben asked. "You always rolled your eyes at me, James and Hugo when we go down to eye up the other teams." Emma shrugged though her cheeks were flushing.

"Well there's not a Hogsmeade trip so I thought I'd…you know…support other houses." She trailed off.

"Okay…" James said, not convinced. "Anyway the match starts at noon if you wanna sit with us."

"But beware, James takes notes." Ben added, earning a light shove from his best friend.

_NEXT: It's Valentine's Dayyyyy_


	8. My Funny Valentine

_So in spirit of Valentine's Day (Or as I am refferring to it this year, National Singles Awareness Day) week I wrote this chapter :) Thank you as always for your rewviews and enjoy!!!_

**Chapter 8: My Funny Valentine**

February brought with it even more homework for the fifth years, that even James and Ben had been reduced to studying in the library.

"What's the charm that 'creates a duplicate of any object cast upon'?" James asked Ben as he did his Charms O.W.L. practice exam.

"_Gemino_" Ben replied scrunching his face up while he read Defensive Magical Theory. "When in the hell am I going to need to know how to identify a basilisk? By the time I do, I'm dead!"

"At least there's Hogsmeade to look forward to this weekend." Emma offered.

"But it's Valentine's Day." Ben grumbled. "Which means it's going to be crowded full of couples." James made a face.

"Great ,we're gonna have to hide out in the Hogs Head."

--

"Um, Emma?" Ryan Davies asked in their potions class later that day. Emma looked up from the essay had just gotten back from Professor Boot.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering…are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" For a second Emma felt her throat go dry and she had to concentrate on speaking.

"Yes…" she said, looking him in the eye.

"Well I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go…with me?" He added, raising his eyebrows in hope. Emma's cheeks turned pink but she smiled.

"Yes, I would." Ryan smiled.

"Excellent."

--

"I dunno James, I've never even been near the Slytherin common room." Ben said warily as he and James poured over the Marauders Map in a corner of the common room.

"Which is exactly why we should go!" James pushed. "The map will tell us if there are any problems coming. Plus, we've got the cloak." Ben took another long look at the map.

"Alright. Serves the buggers right for trying to hex us after Charms today." James smiled triumphantly, Ben only needed minimal convincing.

"What are you two doing?" Roxanne asked and the boys quickly turned around, hiding the map behind them.

"Wife!" Ben exclaimed. "How are you doing today?"

"Stop calling me that!" She said, giving Ben a look. "You know I'm with Joseph-"

"Pish, posh." Ben said, waving his hand. "He is merely an attempt to make me jealous." She narrowed her eyes at him and James cut in.

"Was there something you wanted Rox?" She turned to him.

"Just though I should let you know that Lily lost Ron again so be on the lookout." She informed them.

"Got it." James said. "Where's Emma? She's been upstairs with you lot for an hour" Roxanne smiled.

"We're picking out an outfit for her to wear on Saturday!" James and Ben looked at her, puzzled.

"Is there an occasion?" Ben asked.

"Duh, she's going to Hogsmeade with Ryan Davies." Roxanne told them. "It's their first date!" She went back upstairs to have her input on the outfit.

"Did she tell you that?" James quickly asked Ben, who shook his head.

"Nope. Pretty big deal to have the first date in Valentine's day though, huh? He must like her." Ben thoughtfully added. James, for a reason he couldn't explain had the sudden urge to hit something.

"I guess. Are you going with anyone? Maybe we're supposed to find dates." He supplied, thus in head lessening the importance and specialness of Emma and Ryan's date.

"I wasn't going to ask anyone, but I s'pose I'll ask Amelia Bagshot."

"What is it with Gryffindors liking Hufflepuffs all of the sudden?" James asked frustrated. He didn't know why he was so angry or why it was a big deal. He decided it was because Emma didn't tell him and he had assumed they would hang out. That had to be why this was bothering him so much.

"You look like you're about to combust, mate." Ben said concerned. "Everything alright?"

"Everything's fine." He said. "I just…wish there was a girl I had in mind. And I had like warning or something."

'"James, there are fifty witches in this school who would faint if you asked them to Hogsmeade for Valentine's Day." Ben told him. "Just ask a decent looking one who stares at you tomorrow." James mulled it over and decided to go with it. Ben looked at him strangely as James stared into the fire. _What had gotten into him?_

--

"Why do I care about the bloodlines of Wizards," Ben moaned during History of Magic. No one was even bothering to take notes on the most boring subject they had. "None of it affects me. I'll marry a fellow muggle born and start my own bloodline."

"The Noble House of Amherst," James croaked, imitating Kreacher, causing Emma and Ben to almost burst out laughing. A pretty Ravenclaw fifth year named Adella Bumbles glanced over at James and gave him a small smile, which he returned. He couldn't remember the last time he actually talked to her, but did know that she thought he was cute. He pulled a scrap piece of parchment out and wrote 'go to Hogsmeade with me?' on it and pointed his wand at it. The note transformed into a paper airplane and flew over to her, neatly landing on her desk. She opened it and her expression lit up. She looked at him and shook her head yes.

"Nice," Ben said, upon seeing the interaction. James sat back and ran his hand through his hair with a smug smile on his face. Emma bit her lip, trying to squash the unpleasant feeling that was suddenly overtaking her.

--

Emma took a deep breath after she left her dormitory and went down the stairs. She didn't know why she was so nervous about going on a date with Ryan, he was just a cute friend. Roxanne's 'words of advice' rang in her head. _If you kiss him make sure you do it away from James and Ben. Knowing them they'll do something horribly embarrassing_. Emma wondered if she'd even see them, they weren't in the common room when she passed through, which means they must have already left to meet up with their dates. She rounded the corner and saw Ryan standing in the entrance hall, a rose in his hand for her. The nerves melted away.

--

"I'm not going to Madame Puddifoot's." James said as he saw Adella's eyes flicker towards it as they walked up the main street with Ben and Amelia.

"Yeah it's probably crowded." Adella said, nodding. _That's not why I won't go in there_ James thought to himself.

"How about we go to Three Broomsticks and get these lovely ladies some butterbeer?" Ben said, turning his gaze on Amelia who blushed.

"Sounds good to me." James agreed. Remembering he was on a date, he turned to Adella. "If that's okay with you too I mean" She smiled and nodded and they made their way to the Three Broomsticks, which turned out to be crowded as well. The hostess looked frazzled.

"Take the booth in the back," She told them when they requested a table for four. They made their way to the back and found themselves in the booth directly behind one where Emma and Ryan were sipping butterbeers.

"Um, hi." James said awkwardly, stopping by their table.

"Em-si-poo!" Ben said loudly, causing her to flush with embarrassment. "Fancy seeing you here. Davies," He said, acknowledging Ryan.

"Amherst," Ryan said back, not looking at him but looking at James who looked like he had been confudleded. "Hey Amelia," he said to Ben's date. She waved timidly before going back to gazing at Ben.

"Oh yes, how rude of me." James said, taking the hand of Adella and pulling her close next to him. "Davies, this is my date Adella Bumbles. Emma, you probably know her-"

"Being as we share a room together." Emma said coolly, not liking the way James was parading Adella.

"Yes that would do it then," James said equally as cool, not understanding her attitude. "Well enjoy your day."

"You too," Ryan piped up, now looking back at Emma, eager to get back to their conversation. Emma nodded and turned back to Ryan. James, Ben, Adella and Amelia sat down in their booth. Although he kept conversation with the three, James's mind couldn't help but wander back to the girl who he was separated with one plank of wood.

_ooo looks like some realizations are happening!! Review and I'll update sooner with the next chapter!!!_


	9. Tell Me Why

_So EVERY review of the last chapter said something about how much you all love Ben—I'm so glad!! I really think I get a lot of his character from Sirius (similar to how I get James from his namesake), and since Sirius is my favorite, it shows! Anyway, I'm sorry this one took a little longer to post, I wanted to get the "talk" right without giving too much away…enjoy!_

**Chapter 9: Tell Me Why**

Sundays were days most spent in the library, catching up on work and preparing for the week ahead. For James and Ben however, it was spent trying to come up with something to do to the Slytherin common room. They had a list of ideas ranging from redecorating it with Gryffindor banners to enchanting the couches to swallow whoever sat on them.

"I still think we should do a simple enlargement charm on all of their furniture," James said. "That way we can get out of there with no permanent harm done. I'm not trying to have detention and have to postpone Quidditch practice again, now with the Ravenclaw match on Saturday."

"Yeah that makes sense. But don't you feel like we're playing it safe?" Ben asked skeptically.

"We're breaking into the Slytherin common room." James reminded him. "That's not playing it safe at all." Ben, satisfied about the amount of rule breaking sat back on his chair.

"So have you talked to Emma yet?"

"No. Haven't really seen her." James answered. This was partly true, James and Emma had been avoiding each other since she they got back from Hogsmeade the previous day.

"I don't get it, why were you two so…snippy?" Ben asked, pondering the word.

"Dunno." James shrugged. "She started it."

"Real mature mate." Ben told him, cracking a smile. "She's going to help me out with my Transfiguration soon-ah yes, perfect timing." He said as she walked through the portrait into the common room and towards Ben. James got up and gathered his things.

"Er-I'm going to go write my Mum an owl, it's been a while." He said hastily. With one look at Emma, who was pointedly looking away from him, he went up to the dormitory.

"Did you do your essay?" Emma asked Ben, sitting down.

"Most of it," Ben replied. "I couldn't get the opening to sound right." He handed it to her and she skimmed it over. "Hey Em?"

"Yes?" She asked, still looking at the parchment, her eyes darting back and forth.

"What's wrong with you and James? Like what's really wrong?" Her eyes stopped moving but she remained stating at the paper.

"What did he say?" She asked, knowing it didn't answer his question, but she was curious.

"That you started it."

"Sounds like him," Emma said, shaking her head. "I honestly don't know Ben. He's acting childish and I'm not dealing with it." She handed him back his parchment. "Use some historical information in your opening to give you more credit, like when the first Animagi were discovered, how many are registered with the ministry and then go into your paragraphs about the difficulty and complications of it."

"Thanks," he said, dipping his quill in the ink. "Will you do me one last favor? Because you're the best witch I know and I love you so much?" She gave a quick roll of her eyes but nodded for him to go on.

"Go talk to James. C'mon Em, I can't take being in the middle of whatever you two are doing." Emma sighed.

"I'll give him a chance to apologize."

"There's my girl," Ben grinned and Emma went up to the boys dormitory. She knocked on the fifth year door.

"Come in," She heard James say from inside. She pushed the door open and found him laying on his bed, poking a piece of parchment with his wand, no doubt plans for the following days Quidditch practice. He looked up and looked surprised that it was Emma. "Oh, hey."

"Hi." She said softly. "Can we talk?" He nodded and made a motion for her to sit on his bed with him and she walked over and sat down. "What's going on with us?"

"I dunno." James said, feeling like that was his answer to everything these days. "Guess I was kind of a prat at Hogsmeade." Emma smiled, James only admitted he was wrong when he actually felt really bad.

"Yes you were. And I probably wasn't Miss Congeniality either. But I'm only talking party about that…" she trailed off, not knowing how to word the next part. "Sometimes you get so…tense."

"What do you mean?" James asked, trying to make his tone indifferent. He knew exactly what she was talking about.

"I mean whenever the subject of O.W.L.S. or careers come up you get angry until we change the subject," she started.

"We?" He asked.

"Ben and I," Emma said, the conversation not going in the direction she had planned.

"So you two just sit around talking about me?"

"James, you know that's not it!" Emma said, becoming frustrated. "I can just tell that he is worried like I am and I know that you are fully aware of your flip-outs on us." James had opened his mouth to retort, but closed it, letting the truth of what she said soak in. "You and Ben are my family." Emma said quietly. "I would tell you two if anything was going wrong…why won't you tell me?"

"Even if you knew we couldn't do anything about it?"James muttered. "Even if it sounds awful, you would tell us?"

"Yeah, I would." Emma told him, looking into his hazel eyes. "James, what's going on?"

"You can tell us mate," Ben said from the door. They looked over to see him standing in the doorway. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you two didn't kill each other and caught the last of the conversation." He went and sat on his bed, facing his friends. "We won't think any less of you," he assured James and Emma nodded in agreement. James took a deep breath.

"You know our meeting with Neville? Well he asked what I wanted to do and I told him, play Keeper for Puddlemere United. I mean that's what I'm good at, Quidditch. And then he asked what I wanted to do after that and I didn't know. So I said I would work at the shop with Uncle George and Ron and he was like trying to motivate me or something, he said I could even be an Auror," James said the word with annoyance. By now he was pacing in between the beds. "I don't want to do that. Then he tells my mum who writes me about my future, blah blah blah. So this means my dad knows which means he's probably wondering why the '_son of Harry Potter'_ doesn't want to live up to his father and fight the evil wizards and save the world. I'm not my dad!" He flung himself back on his bed. "I just want to play Quidditch and help the generation after us play pranks." After a few moments of silence, Ben spoke up.

"Do what you love, love what you do." He said wisely and James cracked a grin.

"You're muggle-wisdom is spot on sometimes." Emma reached out and put her hand over James'.

"James, people are going to make assumptions about what you want to do based on your dad, but don't let it cloud what you want. Whether you're an Auror or a Quidditch player and joke-shop owner or anything, it won't be the thing that defines you." James sat up and looked at her, his right hand warm under her touch.

"So what will?"

"How happy you are." She said simply. "You're grandfather could have been anything and he chose to work with Muggle artifacts because they give him great joy. Your Uncle Charlie has spent his life chasing after dragons in Romania even though the English Quidditch team wanted him to be Seeker. You can't just do what they want you to, it's _your_ life." James digested her words.

"You know Em, that makes some sense." Ben let out a laugh and Emma shook her head.

"The sooner you boys realize girls are just smarter than you, the better off you'll be."

--

James felt better after his chat with Ben and Emma, and although his problems weren't completely fixed, it was good to know he had support. He remembered something his father had told him, about trusting his friends and not blocking them out. James' eyes shifted over to Ben as they silently walked under the cloak to the Slytherin dungeons. He knew he and Ben had a mutual trust with each other—at this point they didn't even have to talk to communicate. They got to the door and waited for a Slytherin to come the way and open the door with the password. Luckily, they didn't have to wait long as a sixth year came down the hall.

"_Salazar_," She confidently said and the door opened. James and Ben carefully followed behind her and they found themselves in the dungeons. Only two students were still sitting on the couch so the boys silently waited until well past midnight when they were finally left alone. Ben gave James the thumbs up and they took off the cloak. James handed the Marauders Map and the cloak to Ben and pointed his wand at the nearest couch.

"_Engorgio_," he said quietly and the couch quadrupled in size. He looked at Ben who mirrored his grinning expression. After James enlarged half of the fortune, Ben handed him the cloak and the map and did the rest. Quietly, the snuck back out the door and made their way to Gryffindor tower, altering their routes based on what they saw on the map. When they were safely in their own common room, the whipped off the cloak and cheered.

"They are going to go _mental_!" Ben said excitedly and James vigorously nodded his head.

"And the best part is-" he started before Ben joined him in unison.

"We didn't get caught!"

_NEXT: Quidditch woo!!_


	10. The Boy Who Saved

_Hello lovey readers! Enjoy!_

**Chapter 10: The Boy Who Saved**

"There's Alocious with the Quaffle for Ravenclaw, passed to Dearborn, oh fake pass to Martinez, back to Alocious, he goes to- OH AND SAVED BY POTTER!" The Gryffindors in the crowd went wild as James blocked yet another attempt at a score by the Ravenclaws, keeping the score 60 to 0.

"Wow," Ryan muttered in the crowd as he sat with Emma. She looked over at him.

"What?"

"He's pretty good." Ryan played Chaser for Hufflepuff and since they had beaten Slytherin, they knew they would have to face the winner of this match in the final in May. He couldn't help admire James' talent, as nervous as it was making him.

"Well he's absolutely mental about it," Emma said with a laugh. "He begs anyone who steps in the house to try to shoot at him in their backyard." She smiled remembering the day that he forced Percy to play with him which ended up having Percy dangling halfway off of his broom.

"ANOTHER SAVE BY POTTER, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" The roar of the crowd was deafening now, especially once Joseph Wood's broom zoomed in a direction, no doubt meaning he saw the Snitch. Within a matter of seconds, Wood held his fist up triumphantly and everyone cheered—Gryffindor had won the match and would be facing Hufflepuff in the final. The Gryffindors started to storm the field. Emma turned to Ryan.

"D'ya mind if I go down?" She asked. He nodded encouragingly and she took off. She made her way through the crowd to see James looking so proud, next to Ben who was grinning. She jumped into both of their arms. "That was brilliant boys!" She yelled.

"JAMES!" A scream came from behind her and Emma moved out of the way so Lily could jump on her older brother. "I'm so proud of you! Wait til mum and dad find out!" James spun Lily around.

"Congratulations!" A girlish voice squealed and Emma turned to see Adella sauntering up towards James. And there, in the middle of the Quidditch pitch, she kissed him, right on the lips. Emma's mouth dropped open, along with some of the other onlookers.

"Oi, get a room!" Ben yelled, smiling and shaking his head. "You okay Em? You look like you're about to faint."

"Oh, yes." She said, turning her attention solely on Ben. "Just lots of jumping I think!" He nodded and turned to more people to congratulate him. Emma looked around to anything other than James and Adella's embrace, but found herself face to face with another snogging couple.

"Gross," said a voice next to her. She turned and saw Fred, his eyes squinted in disgust at the sight of his little sister and the star seeker wrapped around each other.

"You're not going to write to your dad, are you?" Emma asked cautiously. Though Fred wasn't nearly as overprotective of Roxanne as James was of Lily, she knew that George Weasley would probably put up a fight to have her sent to a nunnery.

"Nah, no use getting him upset." Fred shrugged. "He's the least out of them though. Uncle Ron and Uncle Harry want to curse any bloke who even looks at their daughters."

--

Gryffindor's excitement lasted the entire rest of the week, and James rewarded the team by giving them a week off of practice.

"Why don't we have practice on Saturday?" Ben asked slyly as he and James were studying in the common room. James looked at him.

"Ben, why would we have practice on my birthday?"

"Oh, it's your birthday tomorrow!" Ben asked, faking forgetfulness. "You should have reminded me mate, now I have to scramble for a gift."

"Git," James muttered, shaking his head. His birthday was on the first day of March, the same as his Uncle Ron's, and was one of his favorite days of the year.

"Is _Adella_ getting you anything?" Ben asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "And while we're at it, what are you two? An item?"

"What are you, my mum?" James asked, laughing. "We're just…I dunno. I guess she's my girlfriend. Damn, I don't want one of those." He pondered.

"Now I'm the only one without another half," Ben said dramatically. "Now that Emma is with Davies and all,"

"She's what?" James asked, dropping his quill. "Why doesn't she tell me anything?!"

"Calm down mate, just because I know everything," Ben said. "She only just told me. I figured she thinks I'll just tell you. Save conversation."

"Well she better still get me a birthday present," he huffed.

--

Emma walked briskly through the corridor and, quite literally, walked into Albus and Rose.

"Oh! Sorry guys!" she said, straightening her robes.

"S'okay." Albus answered.

"Oo were you with Ryan?" Rose asked smiling and Emma blushed.

"You're going out with Ryan?" Albus asked. "What did James say?"

"Why would James have anything to say?" Emma asked hurriedly, her blush going deeper.

"Because," Albus started, looking at Emma peculiarly. "They'll be playing each other in the Quidditch final."

"Oh, right." Emma answered. "No, I don't…I mean I haven't exactly told him. Haven't had the time, you know? Anyway, I have to go to the library." She decided and turned around and walked the other way.

"That was odd." Albus said, watching her go. "She's never scatter brained like that."

"I know. And I always figured she and James would end up together," Rose said with a shrug.

"I think that would be my mum's dream come true." Albus said with a chuckle. "You should hear her plotting with Grandmum Weasley."

--

"Jamessss." Lily dragged the word out as she slid into the chair next to him in the common room.

"Lilyyyyy." He answered in an equal tone.

"Shut uppppp." Ben replied, trying to concentrate on his homework. Lily giggled.

"I know what you're getting for your birthday!"

"Tell me!"

"Nope!"

"Lily!"

"I can't!"

"Then why'd you tell me you knew?!"

"Because I do know!"

"I want to know!"

"You can't!"

"DOES THE WORD O.W.L.S. MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU TWO??!" Ben thundered, slamming his book shut. Lily and James looked at each other, sheepish.

"Sorry mate," James told him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Ben," Lily said, leaning over and giving him a hug. "I really didn't mean to upset you."

"Aw it's okay Lils," He said, hugging her in return and falling for her affection. Lily had the way of being a completely annoying twelve year old but also being the cutest, most cuddly person you would ever meet. "I just want to get this done so your brother and I can have a fun time tomorrow."

"What are you getting me?" James asked hopefully.

"You'll see soon enough." Ben assured him.

_I just love writing little Lily and James together, I kind of model them after Fred/George-Ginny. Anyway, James' birthday is next and there is some MAJOR rule breaking involved!!!! :)_


	11. Birthday Boy

_Sorry it's been a week!!! Anyway, to answer so of your questions, yes James and Emma are in that stage where they are feeling new things towards eachother but are not putting a name to it yet (aww reminds me of ron/hermione days--but without the fighting!). But James has still got some growing up to do before Emma can see herself with him. Enjoy this chapter!!_

**Chapter 11: Birthday Boy**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JAMES-IE!" Ben bellowed at six am, waking James right out of his sleep. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUUU!" James sat up and rubbed his eyes, reaching for his glasses.

"Figures the one day you actually get up early is the one day I can't be angry," He said, but upon looking down at his bed and seeing the pile of presents, his mood brightened. "Brilliant!" He tore open the first package from his parents and a letter fell out.

_James,_

_Happy Birthday! Although you have seemed to help yourself to a gift already (You mum hopes you are using the map for good), we figure you still deserve something on your sixteenth. Give Al your Nimbus 3000 and enjoy flying on this as you lead the Gryffindor team to the cup victory!_

_Dad_

James looked at the package. "Woah! A new-edition Firebolt!" He ran his hand over the broom, soaking it in.

"Blimey, that's a nice broom!" Ben said, his eyes popping out of his head. "That must have been a fortune!"

"I'll be unstoppable with this!" James grinned.

"Wow, that's awesome!" Emma said, walking in to their dormitory, still in her dressing robes.

"What are you doing up so early?" James asked as she handed him a neatly wrapped gift.

"Oh, I think the whole tower heard Ben carrying on with that song," she chuckled. "Happy Birthday James," he opened the gift, and saw a picture frame. The picture was him on his first toy broomstick when he was about one, zooming around the backyard, his dad chasing after him. Then suddenly, the picture changed. This time he was seven and on his dad's broom, an original Firebolt. It was the first time he had ridden a broom. The next series were various pictures taken from his first year to the most recent match of him playing Quidditch or posing with the team and there was one comical one of him and Ben smacking the beater bats together. James looked up at Emma.

"H-How did you…"

"I had some help getting the pictures together and then I enchanted the frame to rotate them," she said, blushing when James put down the frame and pulled her into a hug. It was the first time _he_ had reached out to hug _her_, but their embrace felt so natural.

"Thank you," he said softly and she grinned.

"You're welcome."

"OI!" Ben broke the moment. "You're going to want to do a lot more than hug me when you see what I got ya," he said, motioning to a badly-wrapped package on the foot of James' bed. "Wait," he said, looking at Emma. "Will the ickle Prefect squeal if it's a…um…special gift?"

"Only if it's_ really_ dangerous. Even for you two." Emma assured him .

"Okay. Open it!" James tore of the paper to reveal a bottle of Firewhiskey.

"NO WAY!" James said and Emma looked shocked.

"Benjamin Michael Amherst, where in the world did you get that?!"

"I also had help acquiring this gift," He said with a smirk.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs?" James asked grinning, looking at the label. Ben nodded eagerly and Emma sighed.

"Well you can't take that out somewhere anyone can see it." She said.

"Which is where you're tutoring skills have come in handy." Ben said, tapping his wand to the label on the bottle. In a flash, it now read "Pumpkin Juice".

"When are we going to crack it open?" James smiled eagerly. "Tonight?"

"What the birthday boy wants, he shall get!"

--

James brought his Firebolt to breakfast, much to Emma's annoyance.

"You don't have to show it off," she said as they walked to the Great Hall.

"Hell yes he should!" Ben defended. "Emma, it's James Sirius Potter Day. The boy needs all the attention he can get."

"Yes, that's exactly what he needs," Roxanne said sarcastically.

"Wife, don't sass me." Ben grinned and she rolled her eyes, walking faster.

"Must you?" Emma asked.

"You're just lucky she doesn't tell Wood about your weekly proposals." Albus advised Ben, in a good mood that he got a broom out of the deal as well.

"Yeah, no messing up my team." James spoke up. "It's going to be crunch time if we want to defeat those Huffle-pansies." Ben and Albus snickered and looked to Emma, who was looking pointedly at James.

"You are lucky it is your birthday."

"And you are lucky we are inviting you to take part in my present," Ben grinned mischievously.

"What is it?" Albus asked.

"Ah Albus," James said dramatically. "So young. You cannot learn all of our secrets yet."

"I'm fourteen!"

"Which is two years younger than me, as of today, if I do say so myself." James told him, patting him on top of the head.

--

"I'll have a spot more" Ben slightly slurred, holding his goblet out. James, who was considerably more drunk than Ben, tipped the near-empty bottle to it and ended up spilling most of it.

"Oops!" he giggled and Emma looked over, pointed her wand at the spill and cleaned it up. The three had been in a secluded part of the common room for the past two hours. Emma had joined the boys for a half-glass of Firewhiskey only when the room cleared around midnight. Now it was nearing one and Emma just wanted to go to bed before they all got caught. She had covered for the boys countless times but she knew their state was obvious. Not to say it wasn't entertaining, however.

"I'm sixteen!" James grinned, holding up nine fingers. "Next year I can do magic all. of. the. time." He said, annunciating each word and then he and Ben burst out into laughter. "Best birthday ever," he said, holding the bottle up to Ben's goblet.

"Best friends ever," Ben answered, clanking the drinks together.

"Biggest idiots ever," Emma muttered as they chugged the last of the Firewhiskey.

"I'm just so cheerful!" James remarked, running his hand through his hair and doing his customary lean back in the chair. "Aren't you cheerful too, Emmy?"

"Not as much as you," she said, smiling. "But I am glad you are having a good birthday."

"Gifts and food and fun," James counted off the things he had done during the day. "And flying on the FIREBOLT, of course."

"Of course." Ben nodded. He looked at Emma. "You're a good prefect." He gave her the thumbs up sign.

"Usually," she said. "But sometimes I wonder if I should be a prefect or a friend to you two."

"Definitely a friend." James told her. He leaned further back in his chair and toppled backwards. Ben nearly fell out of his own chair from laughing so hard.

"Okay boys, time for bed." Emma said, getting up. "Ben, get rid of that bottle please." Ben saluted her and threw the bottle in the trashcan. "James, get up." She said, looking down at him.

"Do I haaaave to?" He asked, sticking his bottom lip out in a pout.

"Come on birthday boy," she said, helping him to his feet. He started swaying on the spot. Luckily, Ben came to his other side.

"Ready for the stairs Jamesie?" He asked, grinning. With difficulty, Ben and Emma got him to his room and in his bed. When he laid down, James looked up at Emma.

"Your eyes are the color of chocolate frogs," he said sleepily. Emma bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"Well your eyes are the size of golf balls, so I'm tucking you in." She said, pulling his blanket over him and removed his glasses. He smiled and closed his eyes. Emma walked to the door, past Ben who was already passed out in his bed.

"Emma?" James called. She turned around to face him. "I'm better than your boyfriend." She took a deep breath.

"Good night James." she said firmly, exiting the dormitory and going to her own bed. Sleep, however, did not come to her as easily as it did to the boys.


	12. Boys Just Don't Understand

_I'm glad you guys support the immending James-Emma time...for now, however here is the next chapter!!!_

**Chapter 12: Boys Just Don't Understand**

James opened his eyes unwillingly. The morning light shone through the window and on to his face. He heard Ben groan from the bed next to him.

"What time is it?" James asked groggily, trying to lift his head from the pillow and putting it back down again.

"Noon," Ben replied in the same tone, looking at his watch. James nodded and once again, tried to lift his head. He sat up and took a deep breath.

"I didn't make an arse of myself last night, did I?"

"No more than usual." Ben replied.

"I'd hit you but then I'd have to move." James told him, looking to Ben, who was still lying down.

"There's the silver lining." James rubbed his hand through his hair and felt a lump on the back of his head.

"When did I hit my head?" He asked.

"Dunno," Ben answered, now sitting up as well. "Oh wait—ha ha! You fell out of your chair!" He started to laugh and after a minute James joined in.

"Excellent birthday." He decided and the two got up to change before going down for lunch. On their way to the Great Hall they saw Emma and Ryan taking a walk together. She smirked at them.

"How are you feeling today boys?" She asked politely but with a hint of laughing in her eyes.

"Splendid." James answered, giving her a smirk of his own. "Are you walking down to lunch?"

"Actually, we're walking back" Ryan answered for her. "I have Quidditch practice in an hour."

"I thought Sunday was the day of rest." Ben joked. "Even James is letting us have the weekend off."

"Yeah, well I guess because the final is in two months…" Ryan trailed off, realizing that both James and Ben were on the team he would be facing.

"Well,_ I_ think we should all be studying for our O.W.L.S." Emma said, changing the subject.

"And_ I _think it's lunch time." Ben said as his stomach grumbled. "See you love birds later," James gave Ryan a curt nod and looked at Emma.

"See you. And…thanks." He said. She smiled and he and Ben were off.

"I don't think James likes me," Ryan said confused. Emma bit her lip but tried to look innocent.

"That's silly, of course he likes you." She said. Ryan shrugged.

"Well_ I_ like _you_," he said and Emma smiled and gave him a peck on the lips.

"Good."

--

By the evening James and Ben's hangover had cleared up and they were finishing up their Potions essays. Adella walked over to James and sat next to him, looking cross.

"Hey," he said looking up from his essay. "Er, is everything alright?"

"No but I don't expect _you_ to understand." She said in a hurt voice. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay." James said with a shrug and Ben shook his head.

"_She's lying mate,_" he whispered through his teeth. James looked over at Adella.

"Um…you can tell me what's going on."

"Well I am up to my ears in schoolwork, my mum hasn't responded to my latest owl, Felicia is angry with me for something so stupid AND you didn't ask me to Hogsmeade for this weekend yet." James' expression was pure confusion.

"Okay…" he started to rack his brain for how to deal with this. He remembered what his dad always did with his mum when she was ranting—he took it one problem at a time. "Um, you'll be great in school. And you're mum will write and Felicia will forgive you. And I was gonna ask you to Hogsmeade today," He quickly added. Far from being calmed, however, Adella just looked more furious.

"You think you can fix it just like that!" she cried. "And what makes you think I did something wrong that Felicia would need to forgive_ me_!"

"What do you bloody want me to say?" James asked, now growing irritated as well as confused.

"If you have to ask you don't know anything!" She said dramatically, getting up from the table.

"Obviously I don't!" James said and she turned on her heels and walked out. He slammed his book shut. "What in Merlin's pants was that about?"

"Reckon she's a little mental." Ben offered. "Joanna never blows up at me like that."

"What happened to Amelia?"

"Got boring." Ben shrugged. Emma walked up to the table.

"Can I ask why Adella just stormed in our dormitory and told me I have horrid taste in friends?" She said, looking at James.

"She started flipping out and I tried to fix it and she got mad." James defended.

"She's probably just testing you." Emma offered.

"Don't I have enough of those?" James grumbled, remembering his Herbology exam the following morning. He picked up the book and tried to read it but he couldn't concentrate. He pulled out some parchment and put his quill to the page and began to write the one person who would maybe have an inch of insight.

_Teddy,_

_You know you could have warned me that girls were so bloody complicated. Adella flips out for no reason at me and when I try to make it better, she flips out again! Obviously you have done something right seeing as Vic wants to marry you. What's the secret?_

_James_

_P.S. Thanks for the new practice robes! My birthday was brilliant. _

--

The next morning at breakfast, a gray owl dropped a letter in front of James. He opened the letter to reveal the slanted script of Teddy.

_James,_

_Sorry to report that there is no secret to dealing with girls. Even Vic goes off on me for small things that don't matter. But when you find the right girl, it doesn't matter anymore. _

_Glad you liked the robes, hope you and Ben stay out of trouble. Give Lils and Al and the rest of the Weasleys my best_

_Teddy_

James tucked the letter back in his pocket. He looked up and saw Albus approaching them, a hesitant look in his face.

"You okay Al?" James asked, looking at his brother's flushed face when he saw Emma. Emma looked back at him and bit her lip.

"Uh, yeah…fine…" he said. "I, um, forgot a book." With that he turned around and walked out of the hall. Ben looked quizzically at Emma.

"What was that about?"

"How should I know?" She asked, looking right at her food.

"How thick do you think we are?" James asked her. She looked into the eyes of her two best friends.

"I just…um…ran into Al during my prefect duties." She said, shrugging her shoulders in a suggestive way.

"What was he doing?" Ben asked.

"He was…in the astronomy tower." Emma said, again biting her lip to keep a smile. After a minute of comprehension, James and Ben's faces lit up like it was Christmas again. Students only went to the tower at night if they were going to snog someone. James and Ben would know, they had gone once or twice themselves.

"Excellent!" James said proudly. "Little Al is getting himself a snog!"

"Sh!" Emma scolded, looking around. "He'll kill me if I tell you!"

"You already did," Ben said, his thoughts zooming in various directions about how to bring this piece of information up.

"Now who was the lucky witch?" James asked and Emma shook her head vigorously.

"Oh no, you aren't getting that one out of me."

"We'll just go to him then," James said, eating another piece of toast. "Common room. After Quidditch. Humiliation!"

_NEXT: Albus' mystery woman!_


	13. Who Knew

_I'm sorry it has taken some time to update!!!! Hope its worth it :)_

**Chapter 13: Who Knew**

James and Ben strutted into the common room that evening and sat on either side of Albus, who was reading on the couch.

"What?" He asked, looking up from his Transfiguration book.

"How are you dear brother?" James asked sweetly. Albus could immediately tell what he was hinting at and groaned.

"I don't know what Emma said,"

"On the contrary Alby, I think you know _exactly_ what Emma said." Ben grinned.

"What we want to know is who _exactly_ the lucky young witch was." James told him and Albus shook his head.

"Sorry James, there's no way I'm telling you that one. You'll never leave her alone."

"We thought you may take it like this," Ben shook his head dramatically.

"I regret to inform you Al, that this secrecy nonsense will not fly with family." James shook his head. "Thus, we have to take it into our own hands."

"What-" Albus started but Ben cut him off.

"We will give you more chance to tell us who the young lass is."

"No," Albus said, but he was slowly backing down from his resolve.

"Very well," James said, pointing his wand at his throat. "_Sonarous_." His voice now became amplified and rang through the halls of Hogwarts. "Attention student body. It has brought to the attention that a certain girl snogged a certain bro-" He was cut off by Albus lunging at him. He knocked James to the floor and James, too surprised by his brother's sudden irrational move, did not push back. Albus stood up and straightened his robes. He held out his hand to help James up, which he took and pulled himself up.

"Sorry," Albus muttered.

"Nah, we're half Weasley after all," James smirked. "Our tempers get the best of us sometimes."

"It's Cassandra Sparks. Fourth year like me, but in...Slytherin." Albus said looking at the floor. James and Ben exchanged a quick look. They could tell Albus really liked her, but they weren't sure what to say without coming off as judgmental.

"Okay…" James started. "That's fine. I mean s'long as she's not related to Flint." He added at the end with a lopsided grin. Albus looked up, his expression full of shock and gratefulness.

"She's not," he said. "She's friends with Scorpius."

"I like that bloke. A bit." Ben said, remembering when Rose has introduced them all to him the previous week.

"How bout at Hogsmeade next weekend we all get butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks?" James offered. "That way I can introduce myself to this bird and knock her off her feet. She'll swap Potter men in no time." He boasted and Ben let out a laugh. Albus shook his head, but accepted the invitation before going back to his books.

--

"Who knew, little Alby is snogging a Slytherin and James Sirius Potter isn't even a prick about it." Ben said the next morning in Charms. "Did I tell you we're meeting up with them next Hogsmeade trip, Em?" He asked Emma who was trying, with difficulty, to vanish the water inside of her goblet.

"I think it's really great James," Emma told him, breaking her concentration and looking over. "Surprising, yes, but great."

"He likes her," James said with a shrug, looking bored after he and Ben had successfully vanished their water in the first ten minutes. "I may be a prick, but I'm not going to get in way. He's my brother." Emma smiled at him. She hasn't felt the need to mention his confession during his birthday night and he hadn't asked if he had said anything stupid (_but was it stupid what he said? Or was it true? Was James better than Ryan?_ Emma pushed the thought out of her head.) She had written it off as one of the many 'James-is-an-immature-idiot' moments, yet she couldn't help noticing that there were less of those these days. Not teasing Albus about dating a Slytherin out of respect for his brother's feelings (feelings he had more than once overlooked before) was another step forward.

"What are you staring at me like that for?" James asked Emma, waving his hand in front of her face.

"You're-I mean we're- growing up." She said thoughtfully.

"Aw Emmy don't make me cry." Ben joked.

"Shut up," She said good-naturally.

--

"Why can't we go into Madam Puddifoot's?" Adella asked James for the third time that afternoon.

"You can go in there." He simply shrugged. "But I'm going to the Three Broomsticks."

"Well I'm not going in alone," she said, irritated.

"Then I guess you are coming with me." He answered in a similar tone.

"I don't understand why we have to spend OUR date with your best friend and brother. Why can't we ever do what I want to do?"

"Well your suggestion is Madam Puddifoot's Teashop of Torture and I put my foot down." James told her.

"Then maybe I won't go to the Three Broomsticks." She said, her face flushing with anger.

"Fine." James retored.

"James Potter, I hate you!" She said dramatically before turning and hastily walking to meet up with her friends.

"Well she's a keeper." Ben noted, catching the last part of the conversation while walking up to James with his date. Was it Joanna? James couldn't remember her name but rolled his eyes at Ben's comment.

"Whatever, let's just go meet Al and this girl." They made their way to the Three Broomsticks and found Albus sitting with a decent-looking witch. She had straight brown hair and glasses that complimented her brown eyes nicely.

"James, Ben, Joanna, this is Cassandra Sparks." Albus introduced her. She stood up from the booth and stuck her hand out to shake James'.

"Cassie," she said and James eagerly shook her hand. He got a good feeling from this girl, even though she was a Slytherin.

"Ben," Ben said, sticking out his hand for the next shake.

"Oh, I know who you are." She said laughing. "You turned my roommate, Prisilla Downing's, hair purple last year."

"Yes I did." Ben recalled fondly, but stopped at the look Albus was giving him. "I mean-er-sorry."

"Don't be, she's a right pain to live with. At least that provided me with a laugh during exam week!" She said, still laughing. Ben's face brightened and Albus looked relieved. She shook hands with Joanna and the five sat down to drink butterbeer.

--

Albus and James walked back to Hogwarts together because Cassie went to meet her friends and Adella was still nowhere to be seen.

"I'm just saying Al, she's very outgoing. Can you handle her?" James asked as they trudged up the hill in the snow.

"Shut up," He said smiling. Albus was in a good mood—Cassie had held her own against the dynamic duo and had even given them a taste of their own wit.

"With a mouth like that she should be in Gryffindor." James commented and Albus shrugged.

"She's really ambitious, which apparently is a trait that Slytherins have. And she looks at problems from all angles before moving in a direction."

"Unlike us lions who tend to 'dare to act impulsively'", James quoted the Sorting Hat's most recent song. "Sometimes I wondered about you Alby, but then you tackled me in the common room and I knew you were a true Gryffindor."

"I'm glad that was a moment of clarity for you, you have them so rarely." Albus smirked and James chuckled as the brothers walked back to the castle.

_NEXT::: Some dramaaaaa. Review!!_


	14. A Split Second

_Sorry it took me a little bit, I've been so busy! Thank you so much for your awesome reviews last chapter, they inspired me a lot :)_

**Chapter 14: A Split Second**

The next few weeks were a blur of Quidditch practices, studying and the occasional prank from James and Ben. However, a notice on the common room board almost sent James off the deep end.

"I CAN ONLY HOLD PRACTICE FOUR TIMES A WEEK!" He bellowed, pointing a shaking finger at the board. "McGonagall thinks both team are 'going overboard—academics do come first!'"

"Bad luck mate," Ben said sympathetically. He knew some of the team would not mind the seven day a week, three hour long practices going away but Ben knew this would drive James mad.

"It's that Davies," James huffed. "He's just mad because I reserved the pitch before his captain did and he has to work around our schedule."

"Git," Ben muttered loyally, though he knew it wasn't Davies.

"Who is a git now?" Emma sighed, overhearing his statement as she entered the common room.

"Your boyfriend." James responded and Emma gave him a look.

"If this has anything to do with Quidd-" she started, but James cut her off.

"Of course it does! This is the biggest match of the year, of our entire Hogwarts career! It is my first year as captain and we have to WIN!"

"I know Quidditch is important to you James," Emma said, trying to keep her tone even. "But you can't go around blaming others. Adapt to the situation." She advised, before leaving the common room.

"I hate it when she's right." James muttered, flinging himself on a couch.

"So do I." Ben agreed. "Happens more often than not, doesn't it?"

"It doesn't stop it from being annoying."

"Never said it did. However, I do think we should place this anger at the Hufflepuff team in a new direction." James looked up at him, the mischievous twinkle in both of their eyes.

--

As the Hufflepuff team walked together towards the Quidditch pitch, something strange happened to them. One by one they all fell to the ground, their legs wobbling like jelly.

"What the-" The seeker shouted as he tried to stand up and lost his balance. Ryan looked around for the source of the jinx (though he was certain he had a fairly good idea), but he only saw his teammates.

--

Ryan walked up to James and Ben's table at Potions the next day.

"Look," he started, looking directly at James and Ben who were trying to control their smirks. "We're going to be facing each other in a month and I'd really appreciate it if we could have a fair game. As in no attempts to injure players. Or keep them from practice."

"But of course!" Ben said cheerfully. "Whatever would give you the idea that we would not be all about that?"

"I just…" Ryan looked frustrated. He knew it was Ben and James, but had no proof and didn't want to bring it up to Emma. He knew it wasn't fair to put her in that position, between her boyfriend and her close friends. "Look, I know you guys are like brothers to Emma so you might feel protective but don't take it out on my team."

"Would never dream of it." James told him. Ryan took one last look at the pair then went to his table. James turned to Ben. "So what do you reckon we should do to them tomorrow?"

--

"I'm bored." Ben grumbled as he, James and Emma walked from History of Magic.

"Well we did just have class with Binns. There's bound to be some leftover boredom in you." James noted and they turned the corridor into a long busy hall of students going down to the Great Hall for lunch.

"I feel restless." Ben moaned.

"You snuck out to Hogsmeade last night," Emma reminded, rolling her eyes. "How much adventure could you possibly need in twenty four hours time?"

"I've got some adventure for you," James grinned, seeing Gregorio Flint sauntering down the hall coming opposite of them. Flint narrowed his eyes at the pair and reached for his wand. "Now, now Flint, we want no trouble." James loudly said. Some students stopped and turned around to see what would happen—James and Ben always provided entertainment, and when it was directed at Flint it was even funnier.

"We just want to know how you got those god-awful boils removed from your face." Ben teased. "Oh-oh no wait they're still there! Tell me Flinty, are you using makeup?"

"Stuff it Amherst," Flint said through his teeth, and in an instant, Ben's tongue was stuck to the top of his mouth. James whipped around and aimed his wand at Flint.

"Stupid move," He said heatedly as Emma went to Ben and tried to think of the counter curse for _Langlock._

"Oh, is that how to get Potter all riled up?" Flint asked sarcastically, his eyes wild. The sixth year had been picked on and humiliated by James one too many times and it called for revenge. "Attack someone he's close to?"

"Only because you're too scared to take me on." James said confidently. They stood about a foot apart from each other now, anticipating the next move. Suddenly, Flint whipped around and shot a curse at one of the on lookers. Lily Potter fell to the ground, blood coming out of her stomach, immediately soaking through her robes. Flint's face looked shocked, he had not anticipated what the curse would do. "LILY!" James thundered, running over to her. At once, chaos broke out. Someone screamed to get Madam Pomfrey and Emma and Ben rushed to James' side where he was holding Lily's bleeding body.


	15. There's No Comfort in the Waiting Room

_This chapter took me a few drafts, I really wanted to capture James' feelings. Let me know how I did!!_

**Chapter 15: There's No Comfort in the Waiting Room**

James sat on a couch in the Saint Mungos waiting area, his head in his hands and his robes still blood stained. Next to him was Albus who had so many questions that he couldn't ask. Cassandra had run up to him, saying something was wrong with Lily, go to the hospital wing. When he got there, McGonagall had James and they flooed to Saint Mungos where they were put in the waiting room as she explained to the Healers what James had told her. Within ten minutes, Ginny and Harry had run in and McGonagall had talked to them. Now they were in with the Healers which left the brothers just to wait. Ginny and Harry came out into the room and sat down across from the boys.

"How is she?" Albus asked immediately. Ginny looked grave and Harry was extremely pale.

"She's not breathing on her own." Ginny said weakly. "And she's still bleeding pretty bad. They don't know why they can't stop it."

"But what…what happened?" Albus asked, still confused. Ginny looked at James who was looking at the ground.

"I'd like to hear from James," James looked up into his mother's watery eyes. He had rarely seen his mother cry. James looked back down at the floor and answered in a strained voice.

"Ben and I were mocking Flint in the hall. Flint hit Ben with a curse and then I was cocky and dared him to do more. Then he spun around he hit Lily with something. No one heard what he said. But then she started bleeding really bad."

"What could he have cursed her with?" Albus wondered aloud. Ginny looked at Harry who still looked pale.

"The only curse I've seen do something like that is _Sectumpsempra_." Harry honestly told. "That's what happened to your Uncle George." Albus deeply sighed and James looked crestfallen. "But I don't think this one was as powerful…they said she should heal…" His voice cracked and Ginny grabbed his hand.

"I'm so sorry." James said, feeling it didn't quite sum up what he really felt.

"We don't blame you James," Ginny assured him, but James was far from convinced. "You couldn't have known what he was going to do."

"But I was fighting in the hall." James said, confused. "That's breaking rules,"

"And you regard them so often," Ginny muttered, but James stood up.

"It's my fault! Why can't you just bloody yell at me!" He cried and he turned and stormed down the hall. Albus looked at his parents.

"He doesn't mean it."

"I think he does." Harry said. "I'll talk to him later. Right now," he said sighing. "We just have to wait."

--

James did not know where he was going. He took the stairs up a flight and saw the Visitors Tearoom and Gift Shop. He walked into the gift shop and looked around, seeing various get-well cards and singing balloons and stuffed animals. James didn't have any money with him, but he intended to get some and buy one thing of everything for Lily when she woke up. He ignored his sudden dry throat at the thought of her laying unconscious and bandaged in a hospital bed. He walked out of the shop and wandered around the fifth floor before deciding to go down to the fourth. He walked back into the waiting room where Albus sat alone on one of the chairs.

"Mum and Dad had to talk to more healers. I think we're staying at Grimmuald Place tonight." James' mood did not brighten, even at the mention of his favorite place. He stared at the ground for another hour, neither him nor Albus saying anything. Suddenly, James felt very restless and he stood up.

"She needs her Pygmy Puff."

"What?" Albus' head snapped up.

"Ron! She's going to want him-er, her, when she wakes up."

"James," Albus said, trying to calm his brother down. "She can get it later."

"No she can't! Because guess what Al? She won't be able to!" James was nearing a dangerous point that Albus really did not want to see him come to so he stood up and put his hands on his brother's shoulders.

"James, sit down and calm down. Having a fit won't make it better."

"Then what the bloody hell am I supposed to do? She's in there because of me! Because I couldn't keep my damn comments to myself!"

"James," A different voice sounded and James turned to see his father looking at him. "Come with me." James had never heard his father use such a commanding yet calm voice before and walked over to him. "Al, mum will be right back, okay?"

"Sure dad." Albus said, sitting back in his chair and trying to flatten his jet black hair. Harry put one hand on James' shoulder and led him down a nearly-deserted hall. While they walked, Harry began to talk in that same commanding-calm manor.

"You want someone to yell at you, don't you? Because you believe that someone you care about is in danger and it's your entire fault. Yet everyone seems to be comforting you, telling you they don't blame you. All you want is someone to yell at you so at least one thing makes sense in this world." James looked at his father. They were nearly the same height now.

"Yeah…" James said, trying to comprehend how his father just took all of his feelings and put them into words. "H-How…"

"I've had my fair share of putting people I care about in dangerous situations." Harry's voice sounded far off now. Images of Sirius, Mad-Eye, Dobby, Fred all blurred his vision for a minute before he regained composure. "And then, since no one else yelled at me, I punished myself. I kept it all in and sometimes the pain would get so bad that I couldn't bear getting up in the morning." He remembered a few months after the war had ended and victory had been achieved, but at such a high price. He had days where he was so distant and felt so dark. "I will not let that happen to you, do you understand me James Potter?"

"Yes." James answered quietly. "But dad, even when she wakes up, even if she forgives me, I'll never forgive myself."

"You didn't know what Flint was going to do." Harry said. "I'm not making excuses for you, you know that dueling wizards, especially older ones, often leads to bad things. But you could not have predicted dark magic."

"Why the hell would he use that spell though?" James wondered aloud. Harry's insides clenched at another memory.

"Sometimes young wizards hear or read of a spell and don't realize it's…consequences." He said, trying to piece the sentence right. James shrugged.

"Mr. Potter?" One of the healers walked up to them. "We have found which spell was used. It was, as you predicted, a mild form of _Sectumsempra_. Lily will have a scar but it should fade with time. We have done the counter and she should hopefully be awake by tomorrow morning." Harry nodded and thanked the healer and he and James headed back to the waiting room to tell Ginny and Albus of the update.

--

Emma sat by the fireplace, staring at the flames. She heard someone sit beside her but didn't need to look up to know who it was. She could almost feel the air of anxiety and upset.

"Heard anything?" Ben asked quietly. Emma shook her head. "Me either..." He also starred in the fire. How could a typical prank and duel go so horribly wrong? The image of Lily falling to the floor wouldn't stop playing in his mind. Her hazel eyes had frozen wide with shock, she had thought a curse was being aimed at her brother. If his tongue had not been secured to the roof of his mouth, Ben surely would have screamed.

"I think I'm going to write to him." Emma said, getting up to get her quill and parchment. Ben nodded, he didn't have to ask who "him" was. Emma walked upstairs to her dormitory, thankful that Adella wasn't in there to bug her about James. She got out her stationary and pressed the quill to the parchment. She took a deep breath and wrote what came to her.

_James,_

_I hope this letter finds you with good news about Lily. Everyone is worried sick about her, she is very well-known for a second year! If you need anything at all, you know I am here for you. That goes for your entire family as well. Please don't hesitate to ask. _

_I hope to see you soon. Send your mum and dad my hugs and kisses._

_Love,_

_Emma_

_PS: She'll forgive you. I promise._

NEXT: Teddy! And Lily awakes :)


	16. Brave Little One

_You guys are honestly the best readers ever. WeasleysWizzardingWheezes, Dracoisalooker76, teacher123, xpOplaMaGiCaLpOnYx, L.A.H.H, cannotstopwriting, hermione108 and Blue Leah---Your reviews make me really feel good about this story and I'm so happy I get to share it with all of you! Now for a chapter that I could not help but make happy at the end :)_

**Chapter 16: Brave Little One**

James read over the letter again. He had received it as Kreacher made breakfast that morning and he traced his hand over Emma's neat script. Ginny looked over and, despite everything that was going on, a small smile crept on her face. She had seen a similar look on the fifteen year old Ron's face as he read a letter from Hermione.

"Are you okay Mum?" Albus asked, buttering his toast.

"Yes, yes I'm fine." She answered. She looked over at her middle child, and she felt a lump in her throat. He was the perfect image of Harry (sans the scar and the glasses) and when he stood next to Lily, Ginny often had a flashback to herself standing next to Harry, so many years ago. There was a knock at the door, taking James out of his thoughts and he got up to answer it, but the visitor had a key and let himself in. "Oh, Teddy!" Ginny got up and quickly walked over where she was enveloped by Teddy Lupin. He gripped her tight. Ginny had been Teddy's mother-figure from the time he was born, not just because she was dating Harry. When she pulled back he turned to James who was looking at the floor. James had never been a down-looker, even when he was being punished, yet he had become well acquainted with tile over the past twenty four hours.

"You okay James?" He shrugged, bringing his head up to loom at Teddy. Teddy put his hand on James' shoulder. "She could never blame you."

"I know." James said quietly. Teddy gave his shoulder a pat and said hi to Albus before asking where Harry was.

"He's upstairs, I actually need to see him. Have some breakfast Teddy," Ginny motioned to the food and left the kitchen. She climbed the stairs and went into the master bedroom where she found Harry struggling to clean his glasses with the cloth. "You know, you can use your wand for that." She said and he looked up.

"I'm worried." He admitted quietly. "James is going to beat himself up for a long time. Al looks so confused and Lily…" he trailed off. Ginny sat next to him on the bed and rubbed his back.

"You know what I was thinking? I was a year younger than Lils when I was taken to the Chamber of Secrets. And I turned out okay. Sure there were times when I would have nightmares about it or feel scared again but I had my family always surrounding me and loving me and it was okay. And you, darling, you have had a good amount of curses hit you, including the killing one more than once, and you're okay too. We can get through this, as a family." Harry pulled her on his lap and she nuzzled her head into his neck.

--

"Oh, sorry Hugo," Ben said as he bumped into Hugo in the corridor.

"S'okay." Hugo replied with a yawn. Ben looked at him and he saw the evident signs of sleep-deprivation.

"Let me guess, you didn't catch much sleep either." Ben said and Hugo nodded.

"Lily and I have been together since we were in nappies. We're like Al and Rose except, as James puts it, we're more fun. It's just scary to know she's hurt."

"I know," Ben said and he did know. He couldn't shake the vision of Lily falling to the ground out of his mind all day and could not imagine what he would feel like if she had permanent damage done. _Me and my stupid boredom_ He thought to himself.

--

The Potters and Teddy made their way to St. Mungos and were just in the front entrance when a young healer came up to them smiling.

"She's awake! I was told to wait here and tell you right away, room 407!"

"Thank you so much," Ginny said, looking relieved and they quickly made their way to the room. Harry opened the door softly and peeked in.

"DADDY!" Lily's voice squealed and in an instant Harry was by her bedside, enveloping her in a hug.

"Hello sweetheart, I'm so happy to see you." Harry said, holding in the lump in his throat. He slightly moved back and Ginny flung her arms around her daughter.

"You gave us quite a scare honey, I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm fine." She answered bubbly and she looked over her mother's shoulder to see Teddy. "Teddy!"

"Hey Lily," he said walking over and ruffling her hair. Albus went over with him and kissed Lily on the forehead.

"Good to see you smiling sis," he said. Lily craned her neck to see in between Albus and Teddy. She saw James standing about a foot behind looking nervous and guilty. When he caught her eye, he slowly walked over.

"Lils," he started. "I'm really sorry, it's my fault you got hit and I promise, I'll never duel or prank again, I wanted to keep you safe so bad-"

"I forgive you." She said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "But it wasn't really your fault. And you can't stop pranking and dueling!" James looked at her in shock, mirroring the rest of his family's faces.

"But Lily, you're in a hospital bed. You're hurt."

"You told me last week that you're the kind of person who takes risks because 'why the hell not?'" She told him and Ginny raised her eyebrows at James for using such a word in front of his sister. "I don't want you to change. I love you like you are now." James' face broke out into a grin for what felt like the first time in ages. He walked over to the bed and put his arm around Lily.

"You know Lils, you might just be the best sister ever."

"Duhhh." She said, rolling her eyes and laughing. "Ow," she said, looking at her stomach which was still bandaged. "Laughing hurts a little." Ginny took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Everyone will be happy to know you are awake." She told her. "And I think Grandmum Weasley may make you some of your favorite treacle tart so you don't have to eat hospital food."

"Yum…how long will I have to be here?"

"Probably a few days," Harry told her. Lily made a face. "But, I will be here every second, okay?" Lily grinned and nodded. The healer came in and James stood up off of the bed.

"Well Miss Potter, you are surely making a good recovery." He said, beaming at her. "Now, let's just remove those bandages and put some more Scar-removal on." He pointed his wand at the bandages and they neatly removed themselves and a bottle of thick blue paste covered the scar.

"Hey Lils, look at what shape that is," James said chuckling, feeling relived and joyful. Everyone looked and Lily looked up grinning at her father who heaved a sigh.

"Look daddy, now I've got a lighting-shaped scar too!"

_NEXT: You thought James was overprotective before…._


	17. Shouting and Secrets

_Hello lovely readers! As always, thank you for your reciews (I'm glad you liked the lightning bolt part, the idea came to me and I couldn't resist!) And also thank you to the newest reader Vinyaya, who left me a fantastic review! Enjoy :)_

**Chapter 17: Shouting and Secrets**

If anyone thought James was overprotective of Lily before the accident, it was nothing compared to how he was when she returned to school the following week. At first, Lily tolerated it because, the truth was, she liked having James to tell other people to back off her or to walk her to class and carry her books. But after a few days, it began to get annoying. When she tried to bring it up to him, he got defensive which made her angry and resulted in their first shouting match in the common room.

"Potters have nasty tempers, don't they?" Ben said to Emma as they watched the scene in front of them.

"I've never seen them like this," Emma mused, wondering if and when she should step in.

"I don't watch you _every_ second, I have Quidditch practice every day!" James' voice rose

"You mean the practices you make me go to?" Lily asked sarcastically, a tone which she never used.

"You used to love watching practice!"

"Well I don't when I feel like you're babysitting me! I'm almost thirteen—"

"Not until June!"

"I'm still not a baby!" Lily yelled, her face turning red. "And I'm not breakable!"

"Yes you are!" James yelled back, his face matching the red of Lily's face. "I saw it firsthand Lily and I'm not going to see it again!" Lily, looking close to tears, had no remark and James' face was a mixture of determination and helplessness. Ben and Emma rose from the couch and walked over, but Emma surprisingly went to James and pulled him away. Ben turned to Lily who had let a single tear fall down her cheek.

"Aw, don't cry Lils." Ben said. "You know James, he's just being over-protective and stubborn."

"I know and I love him but it's too much." Lily said, looking at the floor. Ben stepped closer and tilted her chin up.

"Hey," he said and she looked up at him. "You wanna know why he's really upset?" She nodded. "It's because he saw you get hit with the curse and he feels like it's his fault. He never wants to see you get hurt again, even if he isn't responsible."

"How do you know?" She asked, her eyes still swimming with tears.

"Cause I don't wanna see you get hurt either, so I feel a bit of the same." Ben shrugged. Lily thought about this for a minute and then hugged Ben.

On the other side of the room, Emma was trying to calm down a furious James.

"She knows I hate yelling at her but it's for her own good, she can't think she's invincible," he rambled and at this Emma gave him a look. "What?"

"I wonder where she would get the invincible idea from?" She asked with a slight smile. "Perhaps from someone sneaking off to Hogsmeade with a map and invisibility cloak."

"It's…different." James said, but he was calming down.

"James." Emma said matter-of-factly. "She adores you, everyone knows that. And it's understandable that you want to protect her, but you are going overboard. And do you think she likes yelling at you either?" She asked, motioning to where Lily was talking to Ben, her eyes red and leaking tears.

"I never make her cry," James said, sounding defeated. "My job is always to cheer her up."

"Well, go do it then." Emma said, pushing him towards her. He walked over as Ben and Lily were breaking their hug.

"Lils? I'm sorry. I'll really try to back off, okay?" He said to her. Lily wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Okay. And I'm sorry too. I know you love me as much as your Firebolt." She said, giggling at the last part.

"Very true," James said with a laugh.

--

"What do you reckon our O.W.L.S. will even be on from this class?" Ben asked James as they sat in History of Magic devising Quidditch plays.

"All the stuff we never paid attention to over the past five years." James said with a shrug as he pointed at the paper, sending the Chaser dots into a complicated pattern. "Even Emma has given up." He motioned to Emma who was staring out the window.

"Well I s'pose she won't need it, for Healer stuff. Speaking of, did you figure your life out yet?" Ben asked the question with humor, but James knew there was genuine interest behind it.

"Nope." James said simply. "It goes Quidditch player, Joke-shop worker and then the town drunk."

"Nice. I figure if I don't like the whole Obliviator thing then I'm just going to mooch off of your famous Keeper skills."

"I'll save you my left-over groupies." James joked and Ben laughed, causing Emma to break out of her trance and look at them.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing, go back to your daydream about Davies," Ben swatted at her and she rolled her eyes.

"One day they're going to get stuck like that." James pointed out to her.

"Pardon me?" She asked, thrown off by his commented.

"You always roll your eyes Em. They're going to get stuck like that." He said and she couldn't help but laugh.

"You sound like your mum when you say things like that." James looked shocked and Ben howled with laughter, so loud that it actually caused Professor Binns to stop his monologue on Goblin Wars.

"Is there a problem Mr. Ambly?"

"Amherst," Ben corrected, his laughter dying down.

"Very well Amber." Binns said, looking at him one last time before continuing his lesson. James snickered and his eye caught Adella who was giving him a furious look.

"Blimey, what did I do now?"

"Aren't you broken up with her yet?" Ben asked, folding a piece of parchment into an airplane.

"I thought so but then she like threw herself on me when I came back from London last week." James said, trying not to look at her. "And with everything with Lily I just kind of forgot about her…"

"Well she thinks you're still together." Emma said, hushed. "She just thinks you are testing her to see how much you like her."

"For the love of Merlin," James groaned. "I guess I have to chuck her, huh?"

"Want advice?" Ben asked with a smirk. He had his fair share of dropping women. "Just tell her there's someone else that you have feelings for." James felt a blush creep up his neck (damn his Weasley genes!) and Ben's mouth dropped open. Emma studied his reaction and James made a slashing motion with his throat.

"Later," he said, turning back to his Quidditch plans.

--

"Okay, who is she?" Ben asked as he and James changed after a good practice.

"It doesn't matter. I don't even think I really like her. I don't know…" James trailed off.

"It's Emma, isn't it?" Ben asked with a grin. James looked at him in shock. "I'm not blind."

"It's not obvious," James said, trying to make it sound like a statement but it came out more as a question.

"Bout as obvious as her feelings for you." Ben said.

"She doesn't have feelings for me. She's got Davies." James said, his tone turning sour at the name.

"So? You can be with someone and fancy someone else."

"Not Emma. She doesn't think like that." James said, finally putting into words the thoughts that had crept into his mind since Christmas.

"Some people don't think." Ben said. "They just…feel."

"You definitely need to stop being so insightful." James said with a laugh, grabbing his Firebolt and locking his cupboard. "People will wonder if you play for the other team. And I'm not talking Quidditch, either." James ducked as Ben aimed a Bat-Bogey Hex at him.

_NEXT: Quidditch gets more intense and the rivalry between James and Ryan heats up_


	18. Of Good Friends, Gits and Girls

_As always, thank you for your great reviews!! I promise the next chapter is the Quidditch Final!!! 3 Kacey_

**Chapter 18: Of Good Friends, Gits and Girls**

It was common knowledge that Gryffindors were loyal, but James really admired his best friend. Ben did not mention James' feelings for Emma again or make suggestive hints or winks in her company. He understood that James was still sorting it out and didn't want to talk about it and, for that, James was lucky. James and Ben would do anything for each other, a feat which sometimes ended them in trouble…

"Oh, blocked again by Potter the Great!" James said triumphantly as he and Ben practiced Quidditch before dinner. Emma watched them from the stands as she leafed through her Defense Against Dark Arts book.

"I'm a Beater!" Ben defended. "I need practice aiming bludgers. Care to supply your inflated ego?" James laughed and he shot off to the other side of the pitch in a manner of seconds showing off his Firebolt. Ben went after him and soon the two were playing a game of chicken where they would fly at each other and curve away at the last minute. On the stands, Emma laughed with amusement. She loved watching her closest friends fly around like this, with no pressure of the game. Ben's carefree laugh boomed across the pitch and James' face was so relaxed. She caught her breath when the boys came too close for comfort. Sometimes she really felt like more of their mother instead of their sister, which she always compared herself to. _Sister_. Emma contemplated the word. She had two grown sisters of her own, but she had drifted from them over the years. She felt sisterly to Lily of course, and Albus and Ben and James. _No,_ she thought_. I don't feel sisterly towards James_. Over the past months something had changed. She couldn't pinpoint when and couldn't describe how, but it had. The only thing left was to figure out how exactly she felt now. A voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"I thought we were meeting up before dinner?" Emma whipped her head around to see an irritated Ryan. She let out a moan.

"I'm sorry Ryan, I completely forgot! After Charms the boys wanted to come fly before dinner and I feel like I haven't seen them in ages so I wanted to sit and watch," she trailed off feeling bad.

"You see them all the time." Ryan said, working to keep his voice even. "Classes, common room. You're always with the Potters and Amherst."

"I'm with Lily when she needs help doing her bandages and reapplying the scar removal, she hates going to Madame Pomfrey twice a day. And yes, I am with the boys in academics but I wanted to just hang out," she tried to reason. Ryan looked up where the boys were flying around.

"Doesn't look like you're hanging out. Looks more like you're their audience."

"You don't understand." She said evenly. Emma was very good at keeping her temper under control, but Ryan was being downright rude. "This is…how it is." She finished. Ryan scoffed.

"So you choose them." He said.

"I didn't realize I was being asked to choose." Emma said, flushed. "Is it because of the final? Are you asking me to choose Gryffindor or Hufflepuff?" She asked, raising her voice. She did not notice that Ben and James had landed and as they approached they heard the conversation.

"I'm not asking you to choose me over your house." Ryan said in a low voice. "I'm asking you to, for once, choose me over Potter and Amherst."

"You and James and Ben are all different to me! You can't ask me to choose, that's not fair." She said, her voice nearly cracking.

"This" Ryan said, motioning between him and Emma. "_This_ isn't fair." And he turned and walked towards the castle leaving Emma feeling hurt and confused. She felt two figures move on either side of her and let out a small smile as she realized the protective sandwich she was in.

--

Though Emma had played off her confrontation with Ryan as nothing, James noticed a difference in her at dinner and her glances to the Hufflepuff table. Knowing Emma, she would just accept Ryan's apologies and blame it on Quidditch stress. _Merlin knows she's done the same for me_. He thought. But something inside him couldn't let it go. Which is why, when he saw Ryan get up and leave and Emma was in a conversation with Roxanne, James grabbed Ben and they walked out of the Great Hall.

"Oi! Davies!" James called down the hall. Ryan froze on the spot and his shoulders clenched.

"Yes?" He asked, turning around and his hand inching towards his wand. Though James had stopped dueling in the hall since Lily's accident (Flint was still suspended from school, which was probably lucky for him), Ryan knew he had a temper and wanted to be prepared.

"Lay off Emma." James said simply. "You're loyal to your house, she's loyal to hers. Deal with it." Ryan took another step towards him. Ben looked at James but kept his mouth shut.

"That's not what it's about, not like it's any of your business."

"When it concerns my friends it is my business." James said hotly and Ryan laughed.

"Right. You think of Emma as your _friend_."James ears turned hot and Ben stepped in.

"Look Davies, we want no harm. It'd be a right shame if your hands were unable of passing the Quaffle." Ben threatened, playing with his wand.

"Assuming Hufflepuff gets the Quaffle at all." James muttered.

"That's right, I knew you Gryffindors were all about ball hogging and stealing glory from each other." Ryan heated up. "Shame you're unable to steal anything from us," he said pointedly, looking at James.

"Piss off!" Ben yelled, just in time for Professor McGonagall to walk down the hall.

"Mr. Amherst! Ten points from Gryffindor for that language!" She turned to James who was giving a rude hand gesture to Ryan. "Mr. Potter! Another ten points! Honestly," she said with a huff. She turned to Ryan who was looking smug. "Best be on your way Mr. Davies." She advised and when he was far enough down the hall she turned to the seething pair of best friends. "I would advise you two to control yourselves, especially with the match in such short time." They murmured in agreement and headed back towards the tower, bashing Ryan the whole way.

--

"Mail!" Ben said excitedly at breakfast the next morning as a large owl swooped down and delivered a fancy gold letter to him, also giving one to Emma. Ben ripped it open. "I didn't know I was going to Teddy and Vic's wedding!" He said reading the invitation. James' face lit up.

"I suppose the Potter-Weasley clan had room for two strays," Emma joked, holding out her matching invitation.

"Come off it you two, you're family." James said. Emma gave him a smile and the two locked eyes before a black owl dropped a letter in front of Emma.

"Someone's popular," Ben commented. Emma opened the letter and scanned it and her face fell. "Everything okay?"

"My parents are taking me on a holiday this summer." She said quietly. "For the whole month of July." James' face fell but he tried to cover it up.

"That's um…nice…different but nice. Where are they taking you?"

"Germany, France, Sweden and Spain." She said. "One week in each. My mum wrote that I need 'time with the family'. Why I suddenly need it now, not the past three summers is beyond me."

"Will you bring me back a nice Frenchie for my birthday?" Ben asked.

"Ben, your birthday is before I leave. You are born in June." She reminded him, with a slight laugh.

"So you'll owe me one!"


	19. The Quidditch Final

_I hope everyone has a good holiday this weekend, no matter what you celebrate!! Let me know what you think about this chapter…_

**Chapter 19: The Quidditch Final**

It was Friday, the day before the Quidditch match and excitement was running high through the halls. Harry and Ginny had come up to see James play and Hagrid had invited them over for tea along with Professor McGonagall and Neville and the five were laughing about the kids.

"I can't believe," Professor McGonagall said, pouring more tea in her cup. "I started teaching the year your father and mother started their first year," she told Harry. "Now I am teaching their grandchildren. I will say, James and Ben give your father and godfather a run for their money." Ginny shook her head but Harry beamed.

"Aye," Hagrid spoke up. "But when I see 'em with Emma, I think of you and Ron 'nd Hermione runnin' about."

"If anyone is like Hermione, it's Albus." Neville said.

"If it's because he is smart, I'll let you know Neville that I gave him those genes." Ginny joked.

"Aw, I know Ginny, he's just so clever and smart. He'll be able to do anything."

"And what about Lily?" Harry asked inquisitively.

"She's an original," Ginny answered him. "I always try to figure out if she reminds me of anyone, but I think she's all her own."

"She's actually a bit like yer mum was in her days," Hargid told Ginny who looked shocked.

"_My_ mum?"

"Just the way she cares 'bout e'ryone and is affectionate." He answered.

"Our poor future grandchildren." Ginny laughed, and Neville and McGonagall joined in, especially when Harry's face turned to a grimace.

"Can we please steer the subject away from Lily and children. Because that means she will have a husband. Which means someone will have been able to face both me and James and Ron."

"Ron?!" Ginny asked amused.

"He still hasn't forgiven her for naming her pink pygmy puff after him," Harry explained which caused more laughter.

--

Emma studied the Quidditch team at breakfast. Joseph Wood was sitting next to Roxanne as she talked his ear off, but it was obvious he wasn't paying attention and his eyes seemed glassed over with thoughts. The three chasers, seventh year Alexandra Nell, sixth year Michael Wise and fourth year Kirsten Liam were sitting together hunched over a piece of paper, no doubt game plans. One of the beaters, third year Adam Levings looked pale but Ben was next to him, chatting him up. Ben, as usual, looked carefree and unfazed by the amount of pressure on the team. Emma looked across the table to James who looked determined. He always looked that way when it came to Quidditch. Never scared, never nervous. He always looked ready and Emma knew he would transmit the confidence to his team before the match.

--

James walked out of the changing room feeling pumped up and ready. The roar of the stand grew defeating as he led the team onto the field. He looked up at the flying team clad in yellow and heard Hugo's voice fill the stands, ringing with confidence and passion for the game.

"And here's the Gryffindor team! Chasers Nell, Wise and Liam!" The three scarlet-robed players kicked off into the air. "Beaters Amherst and Levings!" They soared in the air with a whoop from Ben. "Seeker Wood," Joseph flew into the air and James mounted his broom, ready for his introduction. "AND our Keeper and Captain JAMES POTTER!" The whipping of wind as he shot in the air did now drown out the crowd's cheers and James felt a burst of pride. Once his team had flown around the pitch, they landed and he went to shake hands with the Hufflepuff Captain, Amber Glisten.

"I want a fair, fun game." Professor Boot who was refereeing said. James took a look at Ben who was glaring at him.

"Good luck Davies. I'll be waiting to catch your Quaffle." James said, earning looks of disgust from the Hufflepuff team. He turned back to his team.

"Couldn't resist?" Ben asked smiling. James gave him a grin, nodded to the team and with the sound of the whistle they were in the air.

James flew in his favorite surveying spot, right in front of the center hoop. Gryffindor had possession of the Quaffle and he listened to Hugo's commentary while keeping an eye on the rest of the team and the bludgers.

"Nell passes the Quaffle—oh no, stolen by Davies, looks like he's shooting off to the hoops" James saw the yellow figure grow closer and concentrated. Ryan aimed for the left hoop, something that James had anticipated and James caught the Quaffle with ease. Cheers erupted and James passed it to Wise. "Gryffindor back in possession, looks like Wise is going for it, no he passes it to Nell who shoots and SCORES! 10-0 for Gryffindor!" James grinned, but he kept his eye on the game. Hufflepuff had the Quaffle and one of the chasers flew in a complicated pattern towards him. At the last minute, he passed to Ryan and a bludger soared in front of James, blinding his vision and he heard the bell and the

announcement that Ryan had scored Hufflepuff's first goal. James swore loudly and caught a glimpse of a smirking Ryan.

"Hope you enjoyed that Davies," James growled lowly. The fact that it was Ryan who had scored on him made his blood boil, and for the first time he wishes his was a beater so he could aim a bludger at Ryan's thick head. Thankfully, next time Ryan got the Quaffle, Ben did just that, and Nell went in and stole the Quaffle, resulting in another score for Gryffindor.

The game continued for well over an hour and James had only let in one more goal (thankfully it was not scored by Ryan, though he had tried at least thirty more times) and Gryffindor had scored two more goals, bringing the score to 40-20.

"And It looks like Jones has seen the Snitch, but Wood is close behind." Hugo's voice rang and James' head whipped to see where the two seekers were flying in the same direction. "Oh, they lost it," Hugo said as the two stopped flying and went off in separate directions. James looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Ryan, speeding towards him with the Quaffle. He threw it to the right goal and James shot off and spun his broom in mid-air, whacking the ball out of the way with the tail. "AMAZING save by Potter, his true talent and Firebolt in action!" Now it was James' turn to grin.

"WOOD!" Ben's voice rang and James looked to see Joseph doing a vertical dive towards the run. James had no idea what he was doing and the crowd was full of gasps and questions but Joseph kept diving, ducking out at the bottom and his hand clenched in a fist, raised over his head in triumph.

James felt his heart about to burst out of his body as he raced to the ground where Joseph was standing with the Snitch. When he hit the round he ran towards him and threw his arms around him, not hearing Hugo's cheers into the microphone or the roar of the scarlet-clad fans. The next thing he knew, Ben was next to him and the two were shouting cheers as the team descended and they huddled with hugs and fist pumps. James was aware of the fans storming the field and a little red-headed girl was the first one to find her way into his arms. He spun Lily around laughing and she gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

"We're champions!!" She screamed and he put her down when he saw Albus and Rose running towards him, grinning. He exchanged hugs with them and turned around to see his parents beaming.

"I am so proud of you!" Ginny threw her arms around him and Harry ruffled James' hair.

"Incredible job son, really outstanding!" Pride rang through Harry's every word and James just kept smiling, still unable to say anything. Behind Harry stood the girl he had been looking for since the second he realized they won. She made her way to James and he looked down at her.

"You did it!" She said smiling. In his first year of captain, at only the age of sixteen, he had led the team to victory.

"Yeah," James said laughing. "Yeah, I did!" He picked Emma up into a hug and she nuzzled her head into his neck. They broke apart when Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. She had tears in her eyes as she looked from Harry to James.

"And now, for the third generation in row, I present the Quidditch Cup to Gryffindor, led by Captain Potter!" Everyone screamed wildly when she handed James the trophy and the team gathered around it to lift it in the air. Camera flashes started going off and the team was the center of it all. There were pictures of the team, everyone grinning madly and hoisting the cup in the air. There was a candid shot of James holding up his Firebolt in victory and another one of him and Ben high fiving. There was a picture of Joseph Wood with Roxanne on his back, still holding the snitch and lipstick smeared all over face. The three chasers had one with the Quaffle which Emma had transformed to have "GRYFFINDOR! 2018 QUIDDITCH CUP CHAMPIONS!" glittering across the ball. James put at least twenty pictures from that day into his revolving frame, but there was one that was by far his favorite.

Harry and Ginny stood on the left side, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes with fond memories of their own Quidditch championship. Next to them stood Albus and Ben who were grinning from ear to ear and holding the trophy. James had Lily on his shoulders and his arm was around Emma who was beaming up at him. He grinned looking at her and, even though everyone in the magical picture moved, the two remained in eye lock.


	20. There’s Nothing Best Friends Can’t Fix

_Sorry for the pause, this week has been so busy! So I know the past few chapters were a little short, but this one is long and moves the story along :)__ There is also something I need opinions on at the end of the chapter so please review!!_

**Chapter 20: There's Nothing Best Friends Can't Fix **

Though they wished the celebrations could go on forever, the weekend ended and the Gryffindors found themselves back in school mode. The fifth years had less than a month until their O.W.L.S. and the stress level was running high. One couple, however, had not only stress but tension added and the mixture was not pleasant.

"Why is yours a different color than mine?" Ryan irritably asked Emma during a grueling Potions session when they were practicing the Invigoration Draught.

"Because you stirred it too much, it's too dark." Emma hissed as she concentrated on her own buttermilk potions, glancing at Ryan's gold one.

"Fine." He hissed back. "Sorry I was asking for help from my _girlfriend._"

"You didn't ask for help, you asked about the color. I don't know how to fix it, sorry." Emma said curtly. Ryan shot her a look of annoyance and Emma glared at him. They had been on shaky terms since the match, which Ryan was very sour about. After Emma had spent time celebrating on the field she had sought him out but he was in such a state that she just went back to the common room and even had a shot of Firewhiskey with the boys.

"Alright everyone," Professor Boot started. "I want you to all stand by your cauldrons and I will come around and rate your potion as if it were b y an O.W.L. examiner!" The class stood nervously next to their potions and Emma glanced over and Ben and James' table and had to suppress a grin. Like always, they looked carefree and confident and were whispering, no doubt still about the match. The boys had a calming effect on her and she was more comfortable when Professor Boot got to her and Ryan's table. "Okay, Mr. Davies first." The professor pointed his wand at the solution and it made a swirling motion and a "A" appeared over it.

"Acceptable." Ryan said, his face slightly relieved. _More like Arse_. Emma thought bitterly. Professor Boot moved over her potion and an "E" floated over it. Emma's face broke into a grin and she heard two boys whistle from the back.

"Okay Miss Healer!" Ben called and Emma rolled her eyes.

"Settle down Mr. Amherst, let's see how you and Mr. Potter did." Both boys had a "D" come out of their potion but, to no surprise, looked unfazed.

"Are you two planning to pass anything?" Emma asked laughing as they put away the supplies.

"Muggle Studies." Ben answered with a grin.

"Puddlemere United doesn't care about O.W.L.S." James said with a knowing look, earning looks of interest from Ben and Emma.

"Something you'd like to share with the class Jamesie?" Ben asked sweetly as he saw James' hand reach in his pocket.

"I was going to save it for later tonight…" he said grinning and he unfolded a piece of parchment he had gotten after breakfast.

_Dear Mr. James Potter,_

_I would first like to wish you congratulations on securing the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor! I myself was a Ravenclaw, but I was still cheering the lions on when I saw the match. I was impressed not only with your talent as a Keeper but also the way you kept the team focused and together, and as only a fifth year!_

_I know you still have two years left in your schooling, but I would like to encourage you to consider Puddlemere United as a team you could belong to upon finishing your Hogwarts career. I will be keeping my eye on you when you return to Hogwarts and look forward to more contact._

_Fondly,_

_Kent Saddleton_

_Puddlemere United Scout_

"HELL BLOODY YES!" Ben said loudly, thumping James on the back. "Brilliant mate, this guy is in love with you!"

"James, this is fantastic!" Emma said and she gave him a hug. James pulled her tight, grinning from ear to ear, but she pulled back at the sound of a throat clearing behind her. She turned to see Ryan, but to her surprise he didn't look mad or jealous, but resigned. Emma said goodbye to Ben and James and followed Ryan into the hall.

--

"Just tell me the truth Emma." Ryan said sadly as they talked in a deserted hallway. Emma bit her lips, bracing herself for the question that she couldn't put off any longer and the answer she couldn't deny any longer. "Do you have feelings for Potter?"

"Yeah," Emma said quietly. "Yeah, I do. I'm so sorry Ryan," but Ryan shook his head and gave her a small smile.

"It's okay, really. I mean I really like you but, I get it. I guess I kind of knew it all along." Emma felt tears pricking at her eyes, she didn't deserve someone to be so nice to her. "I'll see you around," he said, and he gave her a kiss on the cheek before walking off. Emma stood in the hall for a few more minutes, tears coming down her face. She didn't cry because of the end of her relationship with Ryan. The tears fell because she had just ended a perfectly fine relationship for the off chance that someone will notice her.

--

"Twelve uses of Dragon's blood," Ben quizzed James as they lounged in the common room later that evening.

"Um…oven cleaner…" James trailed off, distracted and playing with Lily's pigmy puff.

"That'll earn you a nice big T."

"It's right though!"

"It's the least important one!" Ben laughed. "Alright, how about the physical differences between werewolves and wolves."

"A werewolf has pupils and the snout is different." James answered confidently and Ben nodded. "Okay Amherst, how about you show off a Color-changing charm." Ben pointed his wand at the Pygmy puff and changed it from pink to green to blue and then back to pink.

"Easy. How bout you engorge it?" He said, a twinkle in his eye at the memory of the last time they used that charm. James pointed his wand at "Ron" and enlarged it.

"_Accio Ron_!" Ben said laughing as the enlarged pygmy puff zoomed out of James' hands into his own.

"_Wingarduim Leviosa_!" James said and the pygmy puff hovered in the air.

"Oo, flashback to first year." Ben noted as it floated around the room and made squealing noises. "_Silencio_." He said lazily pointing his wand and the pet was silenced, just as Lily was coming through the portrait hole.

"BEN! JAMES!" She said loudly, marching over to them, where they sat with guilty expressions. "Fix Ron!"

"Sorry," Ben waved his wand and restored Ron back to the original form. Lily snatched it and shook her head at the boys.

"Why aren't you guys with Emma anyway?"

"She's probably with Davies." James said shortly, recalling how he hadn't seen her since Potions, not even at dinner.

"They broke up," Lily told him and James and Ben looked at each other, neither knowing.

"Why?" Ben asked but she shrugged.

"She didn't tell me, but she came back earlier looking upset and Rose and I asked what was wrong and she just said they broke up and she didn't want to talk about it. I think she's still in her room." With that, Lily went off.

"Sounds like a bit of cheering up is in order," Ben mused and James nodded. He didn't want to say the news of the breakup delighted him, but it did. The only thing keeping a goofy grin off of his face was the thought that Emma was upset.

"Or perhaps a special adventure?" James asked and Ben grinned. They went to grab the cloak, the map and most importantly, their friend.

--

After some dragging and threatening, the boys got Emma out of her room and out of the castle. She kept muttering about being a prefect, but complied and soon found herself in Honeydukes. She grinned, marveling at how the boys had perfected their route and wanted to share it with her. Neither had mentioned Ryan, but she knew they knew.

"So Miss Warrington," James said, taking her hand and dragging her into the cellar. "What sweets would you like to have on this fine evening?"

"Well Mr. Potter," Emma giggled, playing along with James as she looked at the boxes. Ben had gone to find an Acidpop. "You do know I am a fan of the sugarquills."

"Sugarquills, sugarquills," James mused, looking at the labeled boxes. "Well you are in luck, I believe we have an abundance!" Emma clapped her hands as James pulled out a sugarquill and handed it to her. She smiled up at him and he winked at her, and at that moment they both felt the chemistry.

"Best adventure ever!" Ben's voice sounded as he approached them, his arms full of sweets.

"We're paying for all of this, right?" Emma asked and James nodded, reaching into his pocket and putting a few sickles on the bench.

"Alright, Em, grab your sugarquills and let's go back to the castle." She nicked two more and the three headed out the trapdoor.

"Hey boys?" Emma said as they walked through the dark passage. "Mission Accomplished."

_Okay so I realized this story has got about five more chapters of life left in it BUT I am so not ready to give up these characters and their relationships yet. After some thinking I got hit with inspiration and began typing. So how's this for a story, set with the same crew and five years in the future:::_

_"Something to Talk About"_

_Lily Luna Potter always thought Ginny's story of falling in love with her older brother's best friend was romantic. And then it happened to her. Lily realized that keeping a secret from a nosy family and an overprotective brother is not quiete the fairytale...but Ben Amherst might just be worth it. _

_Let me know!!!_


	21. A Little More Obvious

_Holy crap! 15 reviews in just 24 hours!! The sequel is def a go, shout out to the fabulous reviewers who made my day…IwishIwasAtHogwarts, WeasleyWizardingWheezes, Vinyaya, L.A.H.H., sidra112, Dracoisalooker76, shygirl135, cannotstopwriting, tic tac toe 03, Henrietta Frances, sums96, Artimes Athene, Maiden of the Undead, xpOplAmAgiCaLpOnyx, grayx3eyedsoul, Blue Leah_

_Also to clarify! "Something to talk about" will start after Lily's sixth year when she turns seventeen (of age!, Ben is just turned 21) and the summer where she and Ben flirt the whole time but don't want to do anything because she still has school left AND they are four years apart AND they fear the wrath of James! However, you all know how charming Ben is and Lily is growing up into quite the knock-out. I won't give away too many details though!!_

_And a quick thank you to those who have read my one-shots (ten Father Daughter moments and "Hey Girl", a Lily and James one I posted last night!)_

_And now back to James…_

**Chapter 21: A Little More Obvious**

James leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his never-tidy hair. He smiled and spun his quill in his finger. He had just finished his last O.W.L., Defense Against the Dark Arts, and it was nice to know he went out with his best subject. A few rows over he saw Ben wink at some Ravenclaw and James shook his head. He wondered if Ben would ever settle down with just one witch. At the thought of settling down, James' eyes traveled three seats in front of him where Emma was still scribbling on her parchment. No use denying it, he had developed a major crush on her, but he had no idea how to handle it. She was fresh out of a break up AND James was one of her best friends, not to mention the fact that she was leaving for the first half of summer in only three days time. But then she would give him one of those looks and James felt…hope.

"Alright students the exam has ceased!" The proctor in the front of the room said, clapping his hands. "_Accio O.W.L.S.!"_ The exams zoomed to the front and James and Ben let out a simultaneous cheer, which led to other students cheering about the end of their exams.

"Well, we survived!" James grinned, walking up to Emma. She returned the smile.

"Barely! I thought the essay portion would be hard, but describing five dark objects of your choice was pretty easy!" She smiled and Ben walked up to them.

"Reckon you got question sixteen right, Jamesie?" James pretended to be deep in thought.

"You know I couldn't think of the only wizard to survive the killing curse, so I just wrote down my dad's name" James laughed. The three walked out of the Great Hall in high spirits and went to enjoy the rest of the day.

--

"So we're in favor of me breaking it off with Joseph before the summer?" Roxanne asked Emma for the tenth time as she watched Emma fold her clothes in neat piles the day before the term let out.

"If that's what you want to do, you should do it." Emma told her. "But he really does fancy you."

"I s'pose I like him too. I just can't imagine communicating by owl the _whole_ summer." She said dramatically, flipping her hair over her shoulder. _Like James and I will_, Emma thought, frowning. It would be her first holiday in two years she didn't go directly to the Potters and she was dreading the trip with her parents. She pushed the thought out of her head and tried to concentrate of Roxanne and her Joseph-Wood-pro-and-con-list before the girls headed down to sit with the rest of the family for the end-of-term feast. The Great Hall was decorated in blue and yellow, signaling that Ravenclaw had won the House Cup. Though the entire Gryffindor house knew that they lost due to the amount of times James and Ben had gotten in trouble, it didn't decrease their popularity at all.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, to make sure this doesn't go to their heads…" Ben said quietly and James counted down from three. As he got to one, a commotion at the Ravenclaw table caused everyone's heads to turn. The table started levitating in the air, followed by the students on the benches. There were shrieks from some, but the younger kids found it amusing. Professor Flitwick charmed the table back down and heads turned to James and Ben's faces which were trying to be angelic.

"Thank you for that demonstration," Professor McGonagall said, standing up and looking pointedly at the boys. "As I was saying, congratulations Ravenclaw!" There were some cheers, but most of the students were still adjusting to being back on the ground.

"I can't believe you are missing my birthday party," Ben pouted at Emma with sad eyes. "I thought you were leaving in July, my birthday is June 3rd!"

"I have to be home right when I get back, I don't know why, I'll be terribly bored. And Lily already makes me feel bad enough for it," Emma told Ben. She was upset she would be missing the annual combined birthday bash, but her mother specifically wanted her home until they left from vacation. Thankfully, once August came, Emma would be able to spend the remainder of the summer at the Potters. The thought brought a few butterflies in her stomach to life.

"Well I will miss you; you're the only one that defends me." Albus said, half-joking. There was some truth in the statement—when James got bored he would pick on his younger brother but Emma would always tell him to lay off.

"Aw Al, I've been good!" James defended himself. "I haven't even brought up the fact you're still snogging a serpent!" He said, motioning to the Slytherin table where Cassie was sitting.

"Must you?" Albus asked with a grimace. _This__ is what I'll miss_. Emma concluded, seeing the brother's interaction and then Lily coming between them and clearing her throat for an announcement.

"I turn thirteen in four days!" she said happily. "I'll be a teenager!" James heaved a sigh and Ben and Emma stifled a laugh.

"Poor mum," Albus said, realizing there would be three Potter teenagers.

"Poor mum? Poor dad! Poor me!" James said.

"Poor any bloke who tries to date her," Ben grinned and Lily frowned.

"That's not funny Ben! But don't worry James, I'll only date nice boys."

"Good thing there aren't any of those left," Rose said with a laugh, joining in the conversation.

"You're just upset that you can't date half the house because we're all related," James said.

"No, that would be Roxanne," Albus said and they peered to the end of the table where Roxanne sat next to Joseph but was eyeing up a Hufflepuff.

"No secrets in the Weasley family, huh?" Emma asked, already knowing the answer.

"Nah, then the dinner conversations would be boring," James answered and everyone laughed.

--

"So you promise you will come on August first?" Ginny asked Emma after the train had arrived on the platform and Emma had gone over to see Harry and Ginny before finding her own family. "I cannot handle all of these children on my own anymore!" Emma smiled and hugged her.

"I'll be there as fast as I can,"

"Well then we will see you soon," Harry told her, feeling sympathetic and flashes of summers at the Dursley's going through his mind.

"Don't just write to James, write to me too!" Lily told Emma and she laughed.

"And don't forget, I want a girl from every country." Ben reminded, giving Emma a hug. Emma turned to the last person to say goodbye to, and her voice choked in her throat. James looked at her with a sad smile, his hazel eyes staring intently into her chocolate ones. The summer wind picked up, blowing her blonde curls in the air and James reached out and tucked one behind her left ear. The gesture made her go a little pink and she stepped in and hugged him before she could blush anymore.

"If they get insufferable, I can be there, kay?" He said quietly against her ear. She nodded into his shoulder and then they pulled back.

"Bye James,"

"Bye Emma," he said and she took one last look at him before taking her trunk and walking over to the other side of the platform. James took a deep breath then turned to his family. "Race you to the car!" And in a flash, he, Albus, Lily and Ben were off. Harry chuckled and Ginny smiled smugly.

"Did you see what I saw?" She asked and Harry nodded.

"Looks like they finally figured out what everyone else knew all along"

_NEXT: Summer, some cute Potter family moments and letters from Emma_


	22. Forever A Family

_I hope everyone has weather as beautiful as I do today! But if you're stuck inside, I hope you enjoy this chapter_

_PS: Okay, to clarify something about the sequel (I'm glad so many readers are enthusiastic!)though it is essentially the falling-in-love-with-the-big-brothers-bff set up, Lily and Ben's story will be a lot different than Ginny and Harry's because they are two different characters from them. Also, I have a good amout of twists and turns to take the plot _

_I put some funny references to the series in this chapter that always make me laugh!_

**Chapter 22: Forever a Family**

"Lils, can you pass me the soap?" James asked from the floor where he was literally on his hands and knees scrubbing the kitchen mess he had caused. It was a rainy day in late June and James had reached the total point of boredom, especially because Ben was spending three weeks with his family before he came back to the Potters. To amuse himself, James had bought a portable swamp from his Uncle's joke shop and set it off in the kitchen. This did not amuse Ginny, however, and she insisted on him cleaning it up the muggle way.

"Here," Lily handed it to him off of the table where she was keeping him company and painting her nails. "It's been over an hour James and it still looks messy," she commented.

"I would expect a comment like that from Albus," James huffed.

"I'm sorry! I just meant that maybe you should just apologize to mum and she would clear it for you!"

"Aw, I'm not mad at you Lily," James said, looking up at her. "But you knew as well as I that mum is stubborn and won't let me get away with this. Like last week when she made you do chores to pay her back for the makeup you stole and broke."

"I didn't steal it, I borrowed it." Lily said, waving her nail polish brush at him. "And the lipstick just slipped! Anyway, she was just in a bad mood. No one needs to work in the attic for THREE hours to pay back a lipstick."

"Maybe mum is just in the punishing mood." James mused and he scrubbed more mud and flung yet another dirty-beyond -repair rag into the garbage. The front door opened and Harry walked in and back to the kitchen where he smirked.

"I was advised not to Floo in," he noted, looking at the fireplace that had a marsh in front of it. "How long have you been scrubbing?"

"Ages," James said dramatically. "Dad, you love me. One flick of the wand…"

"And receive the end of your mum's temper? Sorry son, I try not to purposely put myself in those situations." Harry said with a shake of the head. "Lily, what are you doing to your nails?"

"Painting them!" she said, holding out her French manicure for him to see. "Roxanne says it's important for teenage witches to always look presentable because you never know when you will meet the man you will want to date." James made a face and Harry's expression turned grim.

"And what did your mother say about this?"

"She laughed and gave me the nail polish" Lily said with a shrug. Harry looked angry and turned to the swamp, waved his wand and it disappeared. James' face lit up and he turned to his sister.

"Thanks Lils!" He got up and ran out to the back to go for a night fly on his broom, leaving Lily smiling.

--

_Dear James,_

_I leave for Germany tomorrow. I'm already packed, but my mother keeps buying me hideous dresses to pack. Honestly, they make those pictures of your Uncle Ron in his dress robes look fashionable. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating!_

_Things here are quiet of course. Mum spends her time having tea with "high members of society" (wives of Death Eaters who are locked in Azkaban) and Dad just keeps working at the Ministry. I asked him if he ever ran into your father and he got all huffy and said "As head of the Magical Transportation Department, I do see Mr. Potter from time to time, being as he is head of the Auror Office." Like I didn't know your job, dad. Or Harry's._

_I can't believe you put a portable swamp in your kitchen, I swear Ginny is going to use her Bat Bogey hex on you if you give her more trouble. As always, send the family my love and try to stay out of trouble. _

_Love,_

_Emma_

_PS: I hope you don't mind all of the letters I send or the length of them. I just get restless myself here too (though I know enough not to make my kitchen a natural habitat!) and I miss being with your family_

_--_

"I don't know why I'm here, I'm sixteen years old." James moaned as he sat in Ginny's office at the Daily Prophet. Ginny looked up from the parchment she was editing.

"I told you that the next time you pulled a prank while your father and I were at work that you would spend a day working for me." She said. "And yet yesterday I come home to thirty pygmy puffs running around our sitting room!"

"Would you prefer that or the swamp?" James asked with a half grin and Ginny gave him a look. "Aw, c'mon mum, I'm getting restless! Al is boring, Lily is in her pretty-pretty-princess phase, Ben is at home with his parents and Emma," James stopped at her name, feeling the blush creep up his neck. Ginny smiled knowingly. "What?" James asked, his face growing hotter.

"Nothing," She said, looking back down at her paper. "I just noticed a lot of mail with a certain girl's name on it leaving the house with Achilles."

"She writes me all the time," James said, but not trying to hide his smile. "Mum…if I…I mean I really don't want to admit this, especially to my _mum_ but I think…actually I know…I really fancy her." Ginny met his eyes with a beaming smile.

"Your father and I worked out that part, but it's nice to hear you say it. And does she fancy you in return?"

"How am I supposed to know?" James asked frustrated. "Other girls bat their eyes and giggle and talk all high-pitched and so that's when you know to ask them to Hogsmeade. But with Emma it's…"

"Different?" Ginny supplied.

"Yeah...we're best mates, I don't want to mess that up and tell her how I feel only to have her tell me she doesn't feel the same way. Then it'd be awkward and I'd be humiliated." James looked out the window, contemplative. Ginny sympathized with her son and was grateful for his moment of utter honestly with her. She was always a mother first, always there to guide and care and punish, but it was moments like these that Ginny felt more. She felt like her relationship with James was something special and even though it drove her crazy to see him mixed up like this, she wouldn't trade it for the world.

"Well dear, you have two choices." James looked back at his mother, out of his trance.

"What's that?"

"Either you can do what your Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione did and pretend nothing is different for ages or you can tell her how you feel."

"How mum? Writing her a poem?" James asked with a laugh. "His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad…" Ginny swatted at him.

"I will KILL you Uncles for letting that slip!" She laughed. "No, James I would recommend your father's route—_show_ her how you feel." James thought it over and nodded.

"Pretty good plan, it got him you." James winked at his mother and she rolled her eyes at him.

"You'll know when the moment is right." She said. "I promise, you will…"

--

_Emma,_

_Telling me to stay out of trouble is like telling McGonagall to flash her unmentionables to the Great Hall. As you know, we in the Potter house do not have tea with "high society", but instead with the clan of gingers known as the Weasley Family and Co. Last Sunday Dominique was showing off being of age and how she can do magic and she made these little canaries spin around and then Uncle Ron turned bright red and smashed the glass he was holding and Aunt Hermione looked embarrassed and Dad cracked up. So, of course, I weasel the story out of my dad and it turns out Aunt Hermione had once ATTACKED Uncle Ron with canaries by shouting "_Oppungo_!" Mum reckons dad shouldn't have told me the incantation. She's probably right, I can't WAIT to use it on Flint when we see him in the fall (do you think he'll come back with a protection of Trolls to guard against my revenge?)_

_Hope you're having fun in Germany and don't worry about the amount and length of your letters—reading them makes me feel like you're here. We miss you too_

_James_

_--_

_Jamesiepoo,_

_Achilles delivered that letter to me by accident (Owl is getting old…) and I just wanted to say that the thought of seeing dear Minerva's unmentionables is gross. _

_Also, you love Emma._

_And trolls can't stop us from Flint. _

_Your BFF,_

_Ben_


	23. So Much Better Together

_As always, your reviews rock :) This chapter is a lot of moments that I couldn't resist writing in, I hope you enjoy!_

**Chapter 23: So Much Better Together**

"Shut up, James!" Albus said through his teeth at breakfast in on the last day of July.

"I didn't _say_ anything Alby," James said all-too-innocently.

"Yes, technically he sung," Ben pointed out, grinning and he and James broke into song, each picking up where the other left off. "_Oh Prefect Alby, do us well_,"

"_But do not punish us for raising hell_,"

"_For we think you are pretty swell,"_

"_And for that, do not ring the detention bell!"_ James finished when he and Ben could not continue through their laughs and Albus' face was significantly red.

"Alright boys, enough." Ginny said, pouring herself more tea. Albus had just gotten his prefect letter from Hogwarts which was unsurprising, but it didn't mean that James and Ben had any less fun torturing him. "Now, hand over those O.W.L. letters to me." She said to James and Ben with her hand out. The boys looked at each other and shrugged, handing over the letters.

"What'd they get?" Lily asked from her eggs. Ginny scanned the letters and she smiled.

"Ben, five passing O.W.L.S, an O is Charms AND Muggle Studies! Wonderful!" Ginny said, handing the letter to Ben and beaming. "And James…also five passing O.W.L.S! And an O in Transfiguration, honey I am so proud of you," she said, giving James a big kiss on the forehead.

"Good job boys!" Lily said and Albus nodded encouragingly.

"And give it, one two three…" Ben said, counting off on his hands right as a large owl swooped through the window and delivered a letter to James. He and Ginny exchanged a significant look as James' face lit up as he opened the letter.

_Dear James,_

_I got my O.W.L. results this morning in my last day in Spain; I hope you've gotten yours too and did well! I don't want to brag, but I got E's in everything except Potions…which I got an O in! I am really excited, I think I may go into medical research as a Healer and invent new Potions to help sick people…_

_I can't wait to see everyone tomorrow!_

_Love,_

_Emma_

"And how did she do?" Ben asked when James finished reading the letter.

"E's in everything expect an O in Potions," James said proudly.

"Wow, that's wonderful!" Ginny said and Lily clapped her hands together.

"I can't wait until she comes tomorrow,"

"Emma's coming tomorrow?" Albus asked confused.

"Do you live under a rock, Al?" Ben asked laughing.

"Seriously, you need to be more observant if you want to be a prefect." James chided. "_Open your eyes Alby, and see the trouble"_

"_But don't bust us, or we'll just make double!"_ Ben continued

"_And then you're life will be in a state of rubble_!"

"_Because you burst our pranking bubble!_"

"SHUT UP!"

--

Emma smoothed out her dress skirt as she sat in her father's office at the Ministry as he answered the pile of mail on his desk. She looked over to her trunk and suitcase on the ground and bit her lip, counting down the minutes until Harry would come pick her up from her father's office and take her to the one place she always felt more at home.

"Did you have fun on the holiday?" Ephraim Warrington asked in a gruffy voice, breaking the hour long silence.

"Yes." Emma answered in the small voice that seemed to come out of her every time she answered her father. She did have fun on the holiday, but she felt so alone. Her parents would go out with their various friends abroad and she would go off on her own to see the sights. Though she saw the remnants of the Berlin wall and the Eiffel Tower, shopped in Stockholm and tanned on the beaches of Southern Spain, something was missing. A glimmer of hope would come with every letter she received that the love she had come to love would be waiting for her when she arrived back in England. She reread some of the letters as she waited…

One from Ben: …_Amazing, how quiet it is when you're not in the Potter/Weasley house, huh? I can't wait til you get back and I go back and you bring me my SPAINISH LOVER!..._One from Lily:…_being the only girl is not as fun as it used to be, especially now that Ben is here I am so outnumbered!..._One from Ginny:…_Emma, James is driving me up the wall, do not be surprised if I am drowned in Firewhiskey when you return_…and one of so many from James:…_Miss you Em. A lot_…

At the sound of a knock on the door, Emma jumped out of her chair, shoved her letters into her purse and opened it.

"Harry!" She said, smiling as he hugged her close. She stepped back and let him into her father's office. Harry gave her father a nod.

"As always Ephriam, thank you for letting Emma stay with our family. She is a wonderful girl." Ephraim nodded curtly.

"Bye dad," Emma said, before picking up her purse and following Harry, who had picked up her trunk and suitcases out the door. Emma felt something click in her at that moment and she realized what she had been missing the last two months. She missed a family.

--

"Cheater!" Emma squealed as James held her hands behind her back as Ben kicked the football ball past her, scoring on the goal Emma was supposed to be guarding. Ben had taught them all the game of football the past summer and they were playing in the backyard. Ginny had banned Quidditch for the rest of the week due to Albus getting knocked off his broom and losing a tooth, which was thankfully re grown with Molly Weasley's expert experience. It was James and Ben against Emma and Rose, but Rose had hidden talents and the boys had to resort to desperate measures."James!" She cried again when he wouldn't let her go.

"Sorry Em, I can't be beaten by a girl." James said with a grin. Having Emma here over the past week had brightened his summer and they had been inseparable.

"Oh so you're scared, huh?" She asked, laughing. "Big bad James Potter actually being beaten at something athletic,"

"In your dreams," James said and he started tickling her until they both fell down laughing in the grass. A breeze picked up and blew Emma's curls, which were tied up by a ribbon, in James' face. "Bleck, I think I swallowed some."

"Not too dramatic, are we?" She said, rolling her eyes at him. He rolled his eyes back and she lightly shoved him as she got to her feet.

"Physical violence now?!" He said and she stuck her tongue out at him and he chased her around the yard. Neither had noticed that Ben and Rose had left the two so they could freely laugh and flirt in the summer breeze.

--

"Aw c'mon Mum, it was one prank!" James pleaded his case while Ginny scolded him and Ben for setting muggle whoopee cushions under the couch cushions in the sitting room. Unfortunately , the first person to sit on the couch was the retired Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shaklebolt who was over for dinner. Though he laughed, Ginny stilled chewed the boys out the next morning.

"We wouldn't have done it if we knew the retired Minister was coming," Ben reasoned, giving Ginny his signature tilted head and innocent eye look. Ginny shook her head.

"I love you boys, but I swear every single gray hair on my head comes from you."

"And every single laugh you laugh is because of us," James said with a wink and Ginny let out a chuckle.

"Just promise me you won't pull anything at the wedding next week and I'll let you run off."

"Promise!" They both said at the same time, and with a nod of Ginny's head, they thundered upstairs. Ginny let out a deep breath and turned to Harry, who had said nothing the whole time.

"You know _dear_, it may help if you showed some support for me."

"But you do so well on your own," Harry said, wrapping his arms around her. "Plus, it'd be against my nature to punish them. They're too much like my dad and Sirius."

"And Fred and George," She added. "Seems like every generation has their pair of troublemakers that get out of everything with their charm."

"Aren't we lucky," Harry laughed, nuzzling his head into Ginny's neck

_NEXT: The Wedding!!!!_


	24. Seize The Moment

_I can not believe that this is the second to last chapter!! I really hope you guys enjoy this one, I worked super hard :)_

**Chapter 24: Seize The Moment**

"Emma!" Lily hissed, waking Emma up from her twin bed across the room. "Emma, wake up! It's wedding day!"

"Huh?" Emma said, sitting up and rubbing her head. "Oh! Oh wow!" She smiled at Lily who was all lit up. This was Lily's first wedding and she was excited. "So did you decide how we are doing your hair yet?"

"Curls and pinned. Like a princess." She said, slipping on her robe. "How are you doing yours?"

"I think I'm going to make it straight," Emma said, pulling a bottle of 'Hang Straight' from her bag. "But I'm going to need your help-"

"Yes!" Lily said before Emma could even finish asking.

**--**

"Boys? Ginny said we need to leave now," Emma said, knocking on James' door. Ben opened the door, looking handsome in his dress robes.

"Jamesie is having some trouble with his bowtie," Ben said, explaining why they had been in his room for a good half hour getting changed.

"Let me," Emma said, moving past Ben and walking into the room. With a knowing glint in his eye, Ben left the room and went to find Albus. James was struggling with the bowtie while looking in the mirror, frustrated. "Need some help?" Emma asked and he turned to look at her. James could have sworn for a moment he stopped breathing. She was wearing a chocolate brown, strapless tea-length gown. It was tighter around the bust and the waist then flowed out, complimented by a simple bow in the front. Her blonde hair was straight, held back with a chocolate brown headband. Her makeup was light, her lips shiny, and she had a pair of simple pearls in her ears, matching her pearl bracelet. However, James didn't register these details. All he knew was that she looked beautiful.

"Yeah," he managed to say, registering her question. Emma took the bowtie from him and tied it with ease.

"There. You look very handsome." She said with a smile.

"Thanks, you too. I mean, not handsome. Pretty." He corrected himself, rushed. A faint blush rose to Emma's cheek. They turned to a sound at the doorway.

"Mum is freaking, Dad can't find his shoes." Lily said with a giggle. "How do I look?" She said, spinning in her knee length lilac bridesmaids dress. Victorie wanted all of her girl cousins to match, even though Dominique was her maid of honor and the only one walking down the aisle. The lilac dress was strapless and simple and had a few silk roses along the waistline.

"Am I going to have to do your hair again?" Emma asked with a laugh as she went to fix Lily's pinned-up hairdo, which some red curls were falling out of. "But you do look very beautiful."

"You'll be the prettiest Potter there," James smiled and Lily rolled her eyes.

"Mum's dress is pretty too, it's yellow and dad nearly fainted when he saw her in it." _I can relate to that_ James thought with another glance at Emma as they walked downstairs.

--

The wedding and reception took place at the Burrow, a place that was most special to Teddy and Victorie There was no bride or groom side as most of the guests, like the Potters, considered both the bride and groom already family. The older Weasley children all sat with their spouses lined up in front, Molly, Arthur and Andromeda Tonks sitting together and the grandmothers were already tearing. Fleur sat up front with an empty seat next to her which Bill would fill after walking his daughter down the aisle. Behind them, all of the cousins sat lined up and Emma sat between Ben and James to "keep them under control". But there was no need, as James' gaze was fixed proudly to the front where his father stood next to Teddy as his best man. Teddy had asked Harry, his godfather and one of the biggest influences in his life, to be his best man and that made James' heart swell as much as Harry's.

A hush fell over the crowd as Dominique walked up the aisle in her own lilac gown carrying a bouquet of white roses. The wedding march started and Victorie and Bill appeared at the end of the aisle. Her dress was long and white and her blonde hair was set in loose curls, a few pinned off of her face. She wore the goblin-made tiara that had been passed down in the family and smiled at Teddy, whose face mirrored the same emotion. Bill's gaze to the front of the aisle, his expression one of sweet sorrow as he led his daughter to the man she would marry.

Teddy took Victorie's hand, his face beaming. Bill looked wistfully at his daughter, but knew she was in good hands. He took his face next to Fleur who in return took his hand. Across the guests, couples were holding hands. Weddings had that kind of magic, they brought people together and made guests realize the power and beauty of love. James sat in his chair and glanced out of the corner of his eye at the pair of porcelain hands resting peacefully on Emma's lap. Summoning his Gryffindor courage, James moved his hand to her lap and picked up on of her hands, entwining it in his. Emma softly smiled and didn't move it away.

--

The ceremony had been beautiful and transitioned quite nicely into the reception where a band was playing throughout dinner. The younger girls had all sat together at a table while the boy cousins sat at another and they proceeded to throw peas at each other until Uncle Percy caught them and threatened to tell Grandmum Weasley.

"You should ask her to dance," Ben told James. James glanced to where Emma was laughing about some story Lily was animatedly telling.

"Yeah," James said, getting up. "Yeah I think I will." He got up and walked over to the table. "Wanna dance?" he asked, extending his hand to Emma. She smiled.

"Of course," She got out of her seat and took his hand as they went to the dance floor. She put her arm on his shoulder and he wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her closer and they moved to the music. "I didn't know you could dance," Emma noted.

"Aunt Hermione used to make Rose and Hugo do lessons and one day, as punishment for sticking a gnome in Al's closet, my mum forced me to go too. Guess I learned pretty quick," James said with a smile and Emma giggled as he spun her. He brought her back to him, closer this time. It was like they were in their own little world where it was just the two of them.

"Well James Potter, I am impressed."

"As you should be, Emma Warrington." She looked up into his hazel eyes, loving the way his voice sounded when he said her name. He gazed back into her eyes and they stayed in the spot, lightly swaying to the music and neither saying anything. Looking at her, being this close to her, James realized this was his moment and if he didn't act now, it would slip away. "Emma," he started quietly.

"Yeah?" She asked, her voice breathless at the proximity of them.

"What…are we?" James asked, unsure of where he was going. Emma looked puzzled.

"We're friends," She started but stopped at James' shaking of the head.

"I don't think so," He said and he closed the gap in between them with a long and tender kiss. When the two needed air, he pulled his head back a little and rested his forehead against hers, a grin spreading across his face. He could see in the glow of the party lights that she was grinning too and she pressed her lips to his for a long kiss.

What made them part was the obnoxious flash of a camera and they turned to see Ben next to the photographer, pointing at the couple and laughing. Hugo, Albus, Rose and Roxanne were next to him, also laughing and Lily gave them the thumbs up sign and broke off into what looked like a victory dance.

At the table next to them, Ginny was beaming at her son and Harry was gladly accepting a galleon from Ron, who Hermione was swatting at. Molly Weasley was in another set of tears and clapping her hands together. Emma smiled and snuggled her head into James' chest and Teddy and Victorie danced near them.

"Couldn't resist stealing my thunder, huh James?" Teddy joked.

"Couldn't pass up the chance," James said, looking down at Emma who blushed. "Come on," he said and he led her off the dance floor (to the sound of whistles and cat calls from his Uncles and Ben) to a more private part of the garden.


	25. Epilogue

_So this took me a really long time to write because, in honesty, I was upset that this story is ending! I hope you enjoy this last piece and thank you so much for reading and reviewing my story. You are all truly the best and without your motivation I could have not been inspired to write the sequel. Hugs and kisses to all!_

**Epilogue**

"I had hoped that over the summer the two of you would have gained some maturity," Professor McGonagall said sternly as she looked at James and Ben who once again found themselves sitting in her office. "Or that your close relationship with Miss Warrington would have an influence," she looked pointedly at James who smirked.

"Unfortunately, Emma has no control over me." James answered giving a shrug.

"It's true," Ben chimed in. "He's still the same old Jamesie. And I, not being tied down, am still the same old Bensie."

"So you can count on more quality bonding time in this lovely office." James finished and Professor McGonagall shook her head, as if giving up.

"Well as much as I adore that, I do not enjoy being told upon the Hogwarts Expresses arrival that Mr. Flint had a flock of canaries attack him." James and Ben had to control themselves from laughing at remembering the scene. "Therefore, I am assigning you both a week of detention, meet here in my office on Monday." The boys nodded and she dismissed them from the office. They walked down the halls laughing at the fact that they had received detention within being at school for three hours.

"Oh Minnie, how she loves us so." James shook his head and they boys approached the Fat Lady where Emma was waiting outside to give them the password (_Amore_) and inquire.

"How much trouble are you in?" She asked, her eyes rolling.

"Week's worth of detention." Ben answered, shrugging.

"So the usual then?" Emma asked, smirking. James took her hand and brought her close to him and kissed her forehead. Ben muttered something about his pumpkin juice coming up and went into the common room. James led Emma down the hall. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," he said mischievously.

"Just because _you_ don't mind detentions," Emma said with a laugh, but she followed him as he led her out on the grounds. As they approached the Whomping Willow, Emma got nervous.

"Don't worry," James said, sensing her change in mood and rubbing his thumb over her hand. He muttered a spell and the tree stopped thrashing. They ducked under the branches and got to the trunk of the tree. James turned to Emma and grinned.

"So how opposed are you to leaving your mark on Hogwarts?" he asked and she looked at him quizzically.

"Depends," she answered. "What did you have in mind?" He pointed his wand at the tree and etched into the trunk JP + EW. Emma's mouth dropped in surprise but then she grinned. "Mind if I add something?" He gestured for her and she traced a heart around the inscription.

"Perfect," he said huskily and he brought his mouth to hers. Another word could not sum it up more perfectly, at that moment and in many more to come, he wondered if life could get any better. As he shared a passionate kiss with the girl of his dreams, he knew the answer to that question.

It didn't get much better than this.

THE END

_"Something to Talk About" is being posted now!!!!!!!!!!_

_Lily Luna Potter always thought Ginny's story of falling in love with her older brother's best friend was romantic. And then it happened to her. Lily realized that keeping a secret from a nosy family and an overprotective brother is not quiete the fairytale...but Ben Amherst might just be worth it. _


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